A grocery store employee has aired their beef with the amount of meat their department wastes on the regular. While this type of waste is far from rare, as the price of groceries rises and more and more people struggle to put food on the table, it becomes increasingly upsetting.
What's happening?
The employee posted proof of the problem to Reddit, writing, "Waste in a Superstore Meat Department," above a photo of a large trash can full of Lunchables, hams, hot dogs, and more. Bacon, salmon, and other foods also cover the floor around the trash can.
"This should be illegal," wrote one understandably upset user. "There should be legislation forcing retailers to freeze meat that is reaching its expiry date and then donated to food banks."
"UPDATE," the OP wrote in a comment, "did some math while unpacking them to compost, 810$ worth of bacon, ribs, seafood, steaks, roasts, lunchables, ground beef, veal…what is wrong with this company!"
Why is food waste important?
Food waste is a problem for consumers and the environment. When food is wasted, the company has to pay for it somehow. Many do so by raising the price on items still good for sale, meaning less money is left in shoppers' pockets after checking out.
When food is thrown away, not only does it waste an opportunity to feed one of the 44 million people in the United States who face food insecurity, but it also wastes the water, energy, land, and labor that went into growing, producing, and transporting it.
Once in landfills, food rots and releases methane, a potent planet-warming gas. Feeding America reports that food accounts for 8% of global carbon pollution.
This post also shows only the waste from one shift in one store, so just imagine how much goes wasted across every Loblaws. Not to mention, employees at other large companies like Publix, Walmart, Safeway, and many more have shown similar waste.
Is the grocery store doing anything about this?
While the employee did not name the store outright in the post, they shared the photo with the r/loblawsisoutofcontrol subreddit and referred to Loblaws in comments, as did others.
Loblaws is a superstore chain with locations throughout Canada. According to its corporate website, it has lofty goals to reduce food waste, including zero food waste by 2030. To achieve this, it has implemented sophisticated inventory systems and partnered with companies like Flashfood, ZooShare Biogas LP, and Loop Resource Ltd. It has also matched 100% of its eligible stores with local food banks and recovery agencies.
Also, the OP mentioned that the food may have been going to compost rather than the dumpster. While wasted food should always be avoided, composting is certainly better than adding to landfills.
What's being done about food waste more broadly?
While donating food can get tricky due to concerns about liability, stores like Kroger and Trader Joe's have found ways to do so successfully. Further, like Loblaws, many stores are partnering with apps like Flashfood and Too Good To Go to reduce food waste and prices for consumers.
As individuals, we can help reduce food waste by composting, getting creative with leftovers, and shopping smarter at the store.
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