A photo shared on Reddit is sparking outrage over how much usable food ends up in dumpsters.
The post, shared to r/walmart, shows two commercial-sized bags of sugar in a dumpster area. The original poster said seeing so much food thrown away felt like "a sin," especially given how many are struggling to access basic necessities.
The employee asked, "If an employee picks it up after it's in the dumpster or bin, can they be fired for it?" The short answer, according to many comments, is yes.
The post highlights an issue in big-box retail: once food or products are placed in a dumpster, they're often considered destroyed inventory. Employees who take them can get fired, largely due to liability concerns or theft policies.
The sugar appears sealed and unused, raising questions about why it couldn't be donated instead. Donating unsold food and merchandise is an excellent way to prevent waste, help those in need, and adhere to store policies — but only when the products are deemed safe and properly handled. Some retailers have donated food during emergencies, such as power outages, rather than throwing it away.
However, according to commenters, it varies by store. Some said their stores often donated to avoid waste, while others had egregiously wasteful policies.
For example, one shared, "WM and Sam's both donate usable items to local food banks/pantries."
Another said, "Walmart throws away food whether [it] is expired or not. … I worked at Walmart for five years and we used to dump 5 to 10 carts a night of meat produce, and dairy."
When donation isn't possible, composting can also keep organic waste out of landfills. Unfortunately, many stores default to trashing food because composting infrastructure isn't available.
Commenters had different takes to share.
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Would you be more likely to shop at a store that paid you for your old stuff? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Absolutely 💯 One wrote, "You'd most likely be fired."
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Another added, "Our Walmart only tosses contaminated or very specific out of date/dangerous to consume items. If it's possible to be donated they do. … If the processes for Walmart are working and people are paying attention to expiration dates then in theory there shouldn't be much thrown away."
A third chimed in, "You guys think this is bad? try working at Home Depot Or Lowes.. and watch Makita. Dewalt, Microwaves, Faucets, Weed eaters go to the compactor brand new [because] they are "Outdated" models."
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