Publix employee raises concerns over problematic store policy: 'I'm appalled at how it works'

A Reddit post ignited conversation about food waste at major supermarket chain Publix, where a deli worker reported regularly throwing away "hundreds of USD worth of food" daily.

What's happening?

Publix deli employees have taken to social media to express frustration over what they describe as excessive food waste in their departments. One worker questioned how the company can afford to discard so much unsold food.

"I work in the deli and I'm constantly throwing away hundreds of USD worth of food," the Redditor wrote. "I imagine that at each store and obviously Publix makes a lot of money but the constant loss from food cost has to be offset somehow. How does Publix do it?"

Another employee shared a mix of positive changes and ongoing concerns: "I'm glad to see we can actually donate all fresh kitchen products now instead of trashing them. Was surprised to see that the 'availability' in SIMS doesn't allow the frozen bread to be donated anymore. I've been with Publix for 2yrs in the deli and I'm appalled at how it works. I've been told that it didn't use to be like this."

Why is supermarket food waste concerning?

When supermarkets throw away edible food, they send valuable resources straight to landfills where they're destined to emit methane, a harmful gas that heats our planet to abnormal, uninhabitable levels.

Food waste has ripple effects beyond environmental damage. It drives up grocery costs for shoppers and represents missed opportunities to feed people experiencing hunger in local communities.

The issue is particularly striking when many Americans face rising grocery prices and food insecurity affects millions of households.

Is Publix doing anything about this?

According to the employee comments, Publix has made some positive changes by allowing certain fresh kitchen products to be donated rather than discarded.

This suggests the company recognizes that food waste is a problem and has taken steps toward reducing it.

However, the reported change restricting frozen bread donations shows that there may be inconsistent policies across different food categories. This is often the case, as food must be deemed safe for human consumption before it can be donated, and that's often difficult to ascertain. However, other stores, like Kroger and Trader Joe's, have managed to divert food from going to waste by opening their freezers to consumers immediately after being alerted to a power outage. 

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.

At Publix, the situation described by current employees might reflect broader inventory-management challenges rather than company-wide policy, as practices can vary between individual store locations.

What's being done about supermarket food waste more broadly?

Many grocers are adopting comprehensive food waste reduction programs that follow a simple hierarchy: prevent excess inventory, donate edible food, and compost what remains. These strategies save money and help communities.

Consumers can drive change by shopping at stores with strong anti-waste policies. You can also reduce waste at home by planning meals before shopping, properly storing food, and using leftovers creatively.

Supporting local food rescue organizations helps redirect still-good food from stores to people who need it. Some areas even have apps connecting shoppers with discounted food nearing its sell-by date.

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