Walmart employee shares baffling photo of shipment at store: 'Makes no sense'

A Walmart employee couldn't contain their exasperation after they received a pallet of produce containing "mashed potatoes" — and not the kind they'd like to see on their Thanksgiving spread. 

What's happening?

In the subreddit r/Walmart, the employee shared a photo of a 1,600-plus-pound pallet stacked high with produce. The potatoes were at the bottom, appearing to bear much of the weight. 

"Makes no sense, but hey, I don't get paid to think," one commenter wrote. 

"It truly amazes me," another commenter said, while also calling out the district warehouses, which apparently packaged the pallet in this order. 

"Give the mashed potatoes to Deli, those aren't produce anymore," a third wrote. 

Why is this important?

Even if it is perfectly fine to eat, ugly or imperfect produce can be difficult to sell. This impacts the seller's bottom line when it ends up being discarded and becomes part of the 40% of food lost or wasted across the value chain, according to the World Resources Institute.

When food goes to a landfill, it releases methane as it decomposes. This potent heat-trapping gas is up to 36 times more powerful pound-for-pound at warming the planet than carbon dioxide, according to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.  

Rising global temperatures are contributing to food insecurity and higher food prices as farmers grapple with the resulting supercharged extreme weather events.

Is Walmart doing anything about food waste?

On its website, Walmart has said it plans to slash operational food loss and waste by 50% compared to a 2016 baseline. 

Its partnership with organic materials recycler Denali is one program supporting that goal, as it should create a cleaner stream of material that can be transformed into animal feed, compost, or energy.

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Walmart has also donated approximately 778 million pounds of food globally, which otherwise would have been wasted. It also supports regenerative agriculture initiatives to support grassland and freshwater ecosystems it acknowledges are "critical to the food supply, pollinator health, biodiversity, and climate regulation." 

Furthermore, the company prioritizes suppliers that adopt sustainable growing practices. 

What can I do about food waste more broadly?

If you don't mind your produce looking a bit unusual, you might want to consider signing up for Misfits Market, which sells funny-looking yet perfectly fine goods at a discounted rate. 

Too Good to Go is another marketplace that helps consumers reduce food waste and score cheap eats. 

You could also look into community composting programs or begin your own compost bin at home. Not only will you reduce methane emissions from landfills by composting organic waste, but you'll also recover a nutrient-rich fertilizer for your garden at no additional cost.

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