A major refrigeration failure at a Target store led to a shocking amount of food waste — around $70,000 worth of perishables had to be disposed of after reaching unsafe temperatures.
The incident, shared on Reddit by a store employee, highlights ongoing challenges in preventing food waste at large retailers.
What happened?
"$70k food loss," the Target employee posted on Reddit. "Refrigeration went out and we had to tarp everything. Three hours later it was fixed but too late. all open face cooler product was out of temp. $70k + 50-hour payroll loss."
In the comments, another worker from a different Target location shared an even more dramatic story: "We had a two-day power outage after a huge food truck. Full floor, full backroom coolers, two frozen pallets and two dairy pallets, and a full pallet of turkeys all had to be trashed. Took four open-top dumpsters."
Another commenter wrote, "I don't understand why Target doesn't have backup generators for the cold/frozen food. Talk about adding to the landfills. It's irresponsible imo. I went through that twice and I wasn't even there that long."
Why is food waste concerning?
When produce sold in supermarkets goes to waste, the resources used to grow and transport it — water, energy, labor — go to waste, too. Food rotting in landfills releases methane into our air as it decomposes, increasing temperatures and contributing to extreme weather events.
Food waste hits harder during a time when grocery prices keep rising and many Americans struggle to afford nutritious food. The USDA reports that 8.4% of U.S. households faced food insecurity in 2023, and that number is expected to rise.
Is Target doing anything about this?
Target set goals to send zero waste to landfills by 2030. The company has donated millions of pounds of food to Feeding America since announcing its partnership in 2001. They've also improved inventory tracking in recent years to reduce overstock, including AI-powered modalities.
Still, equipment failures like these refrigeration outages show room for improvement in backup power systems and cold storage reliability.
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Not enough time ⏳ What's being done about food waste more broadly?
Better cold storage technology is fighting this issue. Companies now make smart sensors that monitor temperatures and alert grocery store staff before food spoils. Some stores have installed solar panels with battery backup to keep coolers running during outages.
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Individual consumers can help by shopping mindfully and using their food before it spoils. Extending the life of your food using proper storage and refrigeration can also help.
Supporting stores that prioritize food waste reduction sends a message that customers care about this issue. When possible, take advantage of apps like Misfits Market and Too Good To Go to collect produce that would have otherwise gone to waste.
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