A Non-Confrontational Thread...

[Borealis]

Working at a grocery store, I'm finding that some recent policies in the chain I work for are rather troubling. Many stores have a 'reduced rack' where damaged products (dented cans, squashed cereal boxes, etc.) are placed at a reduced price. To me, it was a good thing, because it allowed poor people to purchase perfectly edible canned goods and other things at a price while allowing the store to minimize the loss.

Now, the company has decided that the reduced rack is unsightly and lowers the appeal of the store, and has done away with it. For a short time, damaged goods were simply brought to the storage area to be returned for credit. Okay, not as good, but the store isn't losing money at all.

Then yesterday, even that changed. All we do is save the UPC codes from the cans/boxes and throw the cans themselves into the garbage.

I don't know about you, but this strikes me as a real waste. I immediately asked the manager why we weren't putting those cans in the Food Bank bin at the front of the store. If the code is all that's needed to gt credit, why not cut the code off and give the food to people who can really need it?

We're called, as Christians, to help the poor. I don't like watching perfectly good food being tossed in the dumpster as if it never existed. A lot of food banks (certainly the one in my hometown) are complaining about low donations. Surely they wouldn't turn down cans, even dented ones. In my store, the smallest one in the city, I found three dented cans of vegetables while fixing up a small section of one aisle. Imagine how many cans could be collected in the span of a week. And imagine how many people using the food bank would appreciate having those cans, dented or not.

I'm going to approach the store manager about this when I go back to work on Tuesday. I'd like to suggest that those of you who might also work in grocery retail bring this up with your managers. And if anyone else shops in a grocery store, making this suggestion might reach ears that will listen.

Who knows? It could make a bit of a difference, or maybe a big difference.

 

[Optimax]

I pray in Jesus Name that the Lord may grant you wisdom and give you the words to speak when you talk with the store manager. We also ask that the Lord gives you favor with the manager. In Jesus Name.
Amen(so be it)

 

[JimfromOhio]

Many businesses' chief purpose is to make a profit and keep their business alive during tough economic periods. In a sin-filled world, economics—like all other activities of life in this world, cannot be perfect. Sin is the main issue of this world. No Economic system will solve anythiing. No Government system will solve anything. No Church/Denomination will solve anything. Only GOD will solve anything.

I agree that as Christians, we can commit ourselves to work more actively for economic inequities.

 

[GraceInHim]

rather then throw it away, maybe he can send it to a food pantry in town.. we have a food pantry which goes all year round, not just on holidays.. many people come that are in need.. especially single Mom's who need help the most.. jmo

 

[catlover]

Borealis. Just to add to your post, many local public schools have a "lost and found" box. If these items are not claimed by the end of summer those items go in the garbage. Some of those clothes are in good shape, jackets, shirts, shoes, gloves. I bet a local charity such as a domestic violence shelter or homeless shelter could use that stuff.

I will pray that your manager will go along with your idea.

 

[Entertaining_Angels]

Oh I hate hearing things like this. We are so spoiled and can be just so wasteful.

I'll be praying that some action is taken.

God bless you for caring.

 

[Borealis]

Good to see people responding. But while I do appreciate the prayers, I'm hoping that other people will do the same thing, whether you're a grocery clerk or not. Go to the local stores yourselves and ask about their 'damages' policy. Maybe they're already donating damaged cans to the food bank. If so, give them your business to show your appreciation of their efforts. If they aren't, ask them to consider it.

It's a small thing, but so are atoms. And even big things come from a lot of small things put together. So please, no sidelining this one. Everyone pitches in. That's how things get done, isn't it?

 

[Borealis]

Borealis. Just to add to your post, many local public schools have a "lost and found" box. If these items are not claimed by the end of summer those items go in the garbage. Some of those clothes are in good shape, jackets, shirts, shoes, gloves. I bet a local charity such as a domestic violence shelter or homeless shelter could use that stuff.

I will pray that your manager will go along with your idea.

I didn't know about that one (seeing as how my son doesn't go to school anymore). Definitely another point to bring up. Go to the local schools and see what happens to the lost and found stuff. Good one, Catlover.

 

[catlover]

I didn't know about that one (seeing as how my son doesn't go to school anymore). Definitely another point to bring up. Go to the local schools and see what happens to the lost and found stuff. Good one, Catlover.

I am sure the principals of those schools, if they have any sense, would not mind giving those items to people to donote to the local shelters.

 

[racer]

I'm going to approach the store manager about this when I go back to work on Tuesday. I'd like to suggest that those of you who might also work in grocery retail bring this up with your managers. And if anyone else shops in a grocery store, making this suggestion might reach ears that will listen.

Who knows? It could make a bit of a difference, or maybe a big difference.

That's a good idea. My daughter just started working at a Grocery store today, and her boyfriend is being considered for an assistant manager position. Maybe one of them can get someone to listen.

 

[revduane]

Good to see people responding. But while I do appreciate the prayers, I'm hoping that other people will do the same thing, whether you're a grocery clerk or not. Go to the local stores yourselves and ask about their 'damages' policy. Maybe they're already donating damaged cans to the food bank. If so, give them your business to show your appreciation of their efforts. If they aren't, ask them to consider it.

It's a small thing, but so are atoms. And even big things come from a lot of small things put together. So please, no sidelining this one. Everyone pitches in. That's how things get done, isn't it?

Hey bro.

I will be praying too. We have a food pantry in my ministry. And we need all we can get too. We put boxes in local churches around here that doesn't have a pantry, and we collect the boxes once a month. We get quite a response.

But I live in South east Kentucky, in a rural area. There is about 25,000 churches per square mile. LOLOLOL. But being in a rural area, and don't have much to do. Shopping is one of the favorite pastimes, and even though i have been in Kentucky for a little less than a year, I have noticed that people love to eat around here, so the pantry can stay decently stocked.

 

[catlover]

Hey bro.

I will be praying too. We have a food pantry in my ministry. And we need all we can get too. We put boxes in local churches around here that doesn't have a pantry, and we collect the boxes once a month. We get quite a response.

But I live in South east Kentucky, in a rural area. There is about 25,000 churches per square mile. LOLOLOL. But being in a rural area, and don't have much to do. Shopping is one of the favorite pastimes, and even though i have been in Kentucky for a little less than a year, I have noticed that people love to eat around here, so the pantry can stay decently stocked.

Rev. Duane please let me know what Kentucky is like. I want to leave N.Maine, God willing.

 

[Adammi]

Working at a grocery store, I'm finding that some recent policies in the chain I work for are rather troubling. Many stores have a 'reduced rack' where damaged products (dented cans, squashed cereal boxes, etc.) are placed at a reduced price. To me, it was a good thing, because it allowed poor people to purchase perfectly edible canned goods and other things at a price while allowing the store to minimize the loss.

Now, the company has decided that the reduced rack is unsightly and lowers the appeal of the store, and has done away with it. For a short time, damaged goods were simply brought to the storage area to be returned for credit. Okay, not as good, but the store isn't losing money at all.

Then yesterday, even that changed. All we do is save the UPC codes from the cans/boxes and throw the cans themselves into the garbage.

I don't know about you, but this strikes me as a real waste. I immediately asked the manager why we weren't putting those cans in the Food Bank bin at the front of the store. If the code is all that's needed to gt credit, why not cut the code off and give the food to people who can really need it?

We're called, as Christians, to help the poor. I don't like watching perfectly good food being tossed in the dumpster as if it never existed. A lot of food banks (certainly the one in my hometown) are complaining about low donations. Surely they wouldn't turn down cans, even dented ones. In my store, the smallest one in the city, I found three dented cans of vegetables while fixing up a small section of one aisle. Imagine how many cans could be collected in the span of a week. And imagine how many people using the food bank would appreciate having those cans, dented or not.

I'm going to approach the store manager about this when I go back to work on Tuesday. I'd like to suggest that those of you who might also work in grocery retail bring this up with your managers. And if anyone else shops in a grocery store, making this suggestion might reach ears that will listen.

Who knows? It could make a bit of a difference, or maybe a big difference.

Congratulations on starting a Non-Confrontational Thread, I bevieve it's a GT first.

As to your question, here's my $0.02.
I think it's great that there are stores who have shelves such as you have mentioned, I have never heard of such a thing. If the manager wants to abide by Christian principles I think that his store should donate to charity, but if he finds it unreasonable to keep a discount rack, that's his business.
But, you can't control what he does, only what you do, and you can do a lot. You can use this as an opportunity to give more than you currently do to charity and learn from this experience to always take the less fortunate into mind when you are in control.

 

[SumTinWong]

It bothers me when I see racks of bread being sold for pennies when it could just be given away. I just migt ask them to do this, thanks for the tip B.

 

[racer]

Rev. Duane please let me know what Kentucky is like. I want to leave N.Maine, God willing.

Apparently, judging from Rev's look-alike, they like to run around in their underwear. J/K

 

[racer]

Hey bro.

I will be praying too. We have a food pantry in my ministry. And we need all we can get too. We put boxes in local churches around here that doesn't have a pantry, and we collect the boxes once a month. We get quite a response.

But I live in South east Kentucky, in a rural area. There is about 25,000 churches per square mile. LOLOLOL. But being in a rural area, and don't have much to do. Shopping is one of the favorite pastimes, and even though i have been in Kentucky for a little less than a year, I have noticed that people love to eat around here, so the pantry can stay decently stocked.

Hey, Rev!

Where's your modesty? Being comfortable is nice, but running around here in a T-shirt and underwear . . . is that really appropriate?

 

[IgnatiusOfAntioch]

rather then throw it away, maybe he can send it to a food pantry in town.. we have a food pantry which goes all year round, not just on holidays.. many people come that are in need.. especially single Mom's who need help the most.. jmo

Why am I unable to give you reps?

 

[HisEagle]

Working at a grocery store, I'm finding that some recent policies in the chain I work for are rather troubling. Many stores have a 'reduced rack' where damaged products (dented cans, squashed cereal boxes, etc.) are placed at a reduced price. To me, it was a good thing, because it allowed poor people to purchase perfectly edible canned goods and other things at a price while allowing the store to minimize the loss.

Now, the company has decided that the reduced rack is unsightly and lowers the appeal of the store, and has done away with it. For a short time, damaged goods were simply brought to the storage area to be returned for credit. Okay, not as good, but the store isn't losing money at all.

Then yesterday, even that changed. All we do is save the UPC codes from the cans/boxes and throw the cans themselves into the garbage.

I don't know about you, but this strikes me as a real waste. I immediately asked the manager why we weren't putting those cans in the Food Bank bin at the front of the store. If the code is all that's needed to gt credit, why not cut the code off and give the food to people who can really need it?

We're called, as Christians, to help the poor. I don't like watching perfectly good food being tossed in the dumpster as if it never existed. A lot of food banks (certainly the one in my hometown) are complaining about low donations. Surely they wouldn't turn down cans, even dented ones. In my store, the smallest one in the city, I found three dented cans of vegetables while fixing up a small section of one aisle. Imagine how many cans could be collected in the span of a week. And imagine how many people using the food bank would appreciate having those cans, dented or not.

I'm going to approach the store manager about this when I go back to work on Tuesday. I'd like to suggest that those of you who might also work in grocery retail bring this up with your managers. And if anyone else shops in a grocery store, making this suggestion might reach ears that will listen.

Who knows? It could make a bit of a difference, or maybe a big difference.

I've worked in retail myself, although it was the convenience store retail sector - but I've experienced the same thing and my understanding is that the reason the food wasn't given away to local pantries was due to one of two reasons:

1) If the food was near, or past it's expiration date, the health department didn't allow it to be donated.

2) The retailer gets a CREDIT for returning the item to the vendor - meaning it would be replaced without actually having to pay for the new one that was shipped in its place. Otherwise, without the credit, the retailer would be out what they paid for the item. The vendors only need proof that the retailer had the product in stock, and the UPC code is acceptable proof. Sometimes the UPC code requires cutting into the packages themselves, which could compromise the quality of the food. For example, it's difficult to cut the UPC code off a loaf of bread without exposing the bread to air, which could lead to staleness and mold.

Now, with canned goods, I do sympathize with you. And if the items you are talking about are not past their expiration date, then I would definitely talk to your manager about it.