Retail worker shares eye-opening photo of discarded food, sparking debate online: 'So much waste'

A Dollar General employee shared a photo of discarded Hostess snacks on Reddit, inspiring concern about food waste practices.

What happened?

"So much waste. Expired food from May! This is what we threw away on Monday," the employee posted in the r/DollarGeneral community in late summer. "We found many expired boxes of Hostess snack cakes, some of which went bad in May. Customers couldn't see or reach the Hostess display because it was surrounded by display racks for other merchandise. Expired food is a big problem at my store."

The post showed heaps of expired treats, including Sno Balls, Ding Dongs, and Kazbars, tossed out after sitting unsold for months.

Another Dollar General employee shared their experience: "I've filled multiple shopping carts filled with expired food when doing recovery a few times this summer. But, I was eventually told to just try and put things in totes, because I was using so many carts that it was eating up the carts the customers could use. And, just yesterday, I found an entire candy display that was all expired. Cleared an entire shelf because of that."

Why is food waste at Dollar General concerning?

When food ends up in landfills, it expels methane gas as it breaks down, heating the planet and helping to trigger extreme weather events.

Beyond environmental damage, throwing away edible food strains resources and overlooks opportunities to feed people who are hungry. For instance, the United States wastes an estimated 30-40% of its food supply annually, according to the Department of Agriculture, with retail stores' waste practices playing a large role in this problem.

Is Dollar General doing anything about this?

Dollar General has committed to reducing waste through recycling and partnerships with nonprofits such as Feeding America. However, the company faces ongoing scrutiny over store organization and stock rotation practices.

While some locations partner with food banks, others struggle with inventory management, as this Reddit post demonstrates, suggesting inconsistent implementation of company policies.

What's being done about retail food waste more broadly?

Many retailers mark down items approaching expiration dates or partner with apps such as Too Good To Go, which connect customers with discounted food that would otherwise go to waste. Food banks often work directly with stores to collect and redistribute products near their expiration dates to people who need them.

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Several states have passed laws requiring large retailers to donate eligible food instead of throwing it away. Stores can often claim tax deductions for food donations, making it financially smart to give rather than waste.

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