Kroger employee shares photo of shocking scene after store power outage: 'That's heartbreaking'

A Reddit post showing a dumpster at a Kroger store overflowing with dairy products after a storm-related power outage has inspired a discussion about food waste and backup power systems at grocery stores.

What happened?

A user in the r/bloomington community shared a photo of a Kroger dumpster packed with dairy products such as sour cream and cream cheese, captioning it: "Kroger's dumpster, the day after the storm knocked out power."

One commenter expressed surprise at the waste, writing, "That is nuts they don't have generators!? My neighbor even has one just to keep his meat cold."

Another said, "Oof, that's heartbreaking!"

The post draws attention to how quickly perishable foods must be discarded when refrigeration fails, creating both financial loss for stores and waste that impacts our planet.

Why is food waste concerning?

When food gets thrown away, it's more than just wasted money — it's wasted resources. Every discarded dairy product represents the water, energy, and land that went into producing it.

Food waste is a major contributor to our planet's overheating. When food decomposes in landfills, it releases methane. This heat-trapping gas warms the atmosphere much faster than carbon dioxide.

According to the USDA, up to 40% of food in America goes uneaten. Grocery stores account for about 10% of that waste, often due to power outages, overstocking, or arbitrary expiration dates.

Is Kroger doing anything about this?

Kroger has publicly committed to achieving zero waste through its Zero Hunger | Zero Waste initiative. The company reported it diverted 81% of waste from landfills in 2022 and donates millions of pounds of food annually.

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However, this incident shows potential gaps in its emergency preparedness systems. While permanent backup generators would require significant investment, they could pay for themselves by preventing product loss during outages.

Many Kroger stores partner with food banks to donate near-expiry products, but safety regulations often prevent the donation of refrigerated items once they've been above safe temperatures, making prevention through backup power systems the most effective solution.

What's being done about food waste more broadly?

Many supermarkets are improving their ability to handle power disruptions. Some locations have natural gas-powered backup generators that automatically kick in during outages.

For shoppers, supporting stores with better waste practices can inspire positive change. When choosing where to shop, ask about a store's food waste policies and backup power systems.

Keeping a cooler and ice packs ready at home can help preserve refrigerated foods during outages. A small backup power source, like a portable battery station, can maintain a mini-fridge during brief outages.

Some communities have developed fridge programs where excess food can be shared rather than wasted, creating neighborhood-level resilience to disruptions in our food system.

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