Shopper left stunned after local grocery store denies simple request: 'It's likely a corporate policy'

Many grocery stores have recently launched composting programs to repurpose food waste instead of sending it to landfills. They usually sell the compost or donate it to community gardens or ranchers to feed livestock.

However, one Reddit user interested in starting a composting company discovered that some stores have policies against donating discarded produce, which led to an interesting discussion about food waste laws. 

What's happening?

In the subreddit r/composting, the original poster explained that they'd been asking their local grocery stores for organic materials for a compost operation. Most grocers in their area had established produce recycling programs, except for one, which told them they couldn't donate produce waste due to "insurance reasons." 

"Grocery store is scared to give me their produce waste. What can I tell them to convince them that it's legal for them to donate their produce waste rather than throwing it out?" the OP asked.

One user offered a reasonable explanation for the grocers' decision. "If it's a chain it's likely a corporate policy for liability so they don't give out food without knowing where it's going that could potentially make someone sick or be disposed of improperly," they said. "This is unfortunately the reason that a lot of businesses throw out excess food as opposed to donating or otherwise making use of it."

In a later comment, the OP explained that an employee at the store told them the company used to donate food waste, but corporate ordered them to stop. 

"You might have better luck getting feedstock from restaurants and definitely from coffee shops. Grocery stores have pretty much always been difficult about this stuff," another user suggested. 

Why is food waste concerning?

When stores throw away unsold or expired produce rather than composting it, the food waste piles up in landfills and contributes to planet-warming pollution from methane — a highly potent gas when it comes to the planet-warming effect of holding in heat in the atmosphere. This practice may also drive up costs for consumers if stores attempt to compensate for their losses. 

According to Feeding America, the U.S. tosses nearly 40% of food every year — equating to 92 billion pounds. Meanwhile, nearly 50 million Americans are food insecure, including 14 million children. 

Should grocery stores donate food that's past its sell-by date? Yes — as long as it's not bad 🤢 Yes — but only certain foods 🥫 Only if it doesn't cost the store 💸 No — it could lead to problems 👎 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

While not all discarded foods are safe to donate, stores can set up composting programs to ensure the food gets repurposed. That compost could be used in gardens or for animal feed, supporting a circular system where materials are reused rather than wasted. But, as the OP explained, some stores have policies that won't allow them to compost or recycle food.

Are companies doing anything about this?

Several companies, such as Walmart and HelloFresh, are tackling food waste by partnering with the organic materials recycling company Denali to turn the refuse into compost and biofuel. 

Albertsons is also reducing food waste by partnering with Uber to get excess food from its stores to food banks. It also offers some items on Too Good To Go, making it easy for customers to snag great deals on food while helping the planet. 

As for the company the OP contacted about donating its produce waste, it may want to avoid liability if someone gets sick from eating expired food. Some commenters said the poster would likely have better luck if they classified themselves as a vendor rather than an individual asking for compost, assuming the business allows donations.

What else can be done about food waste?

Many cities and even entire countries have launched composting programs. In Queens, NYC's largest borough, Mayor Eric Adams instituted a weekly curbside composting program that serves 2.2 million New Yorkers. Last year, France enacted a countrywide policy requiring homeowners and businesses to compost their waste. 

Even if your town doesn't have a composting program, you can buy a composter for as little as $33 and turn your yard or kitchen scraps into nutrient-rich soil.

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