Store Rubbish and Storage Bins

We all love a well-stocked supermarket—rows of fresh produce, neatly stacked bread, and perfectly arranged dairy products. But here’s the ugly truth: a shocking amount of that food never makes it to our plates. Instead, it ends up in the trash. Yep, perfectly good food, just tossed away.

So, how much food is actually wasted in supermarkets? Grab a snack (preferably not expired), and let’s break it down.

The Alarming Numbers: Supermarket Food Waste by the Ton

Brace yourself—this isn’t pretty.

Supermarkets worldwide waste millions of tons of food every year. In the U.S. alone, grocery stores throw away about 16 billion pounds of food annually. That’s like tossing an entire football field of food into the dumpster every single day.

And it’s not just the U.S. In the UK, supermarkets waste over 100,000 tons of edible food every year. Meanwhile, across Europe, grocery stores account for over 5 million tons of food waste.

Now, before we start side-eyeing our local supermarkets, let’s talk about why this happens.

Why Do Supermarkets Waste So Much Food?

If food waste had an evil villain, it would have three heads: expiration dates, aesthetic standards, and overstocking.

1. Expiration Dates (Or, "Best Before" Confusion)

You know those “Best Before” labels? Turns out, they don’t always mean the food is bad—it just might not be at peak quality. But many supermarkets toss food the second it hits that date, even if it’s still perfectly safe to eat.

2. The "Ugly" Food Problem

Supermarkets are obsessed with selling only the prettiest produce. A misshapen carrot? A slightly bruised apple? Forget it. These “ugly” but perfectly edible fruits and veggies often get rejected before even hitting the shelves.

3. Overstocking – The More, the Wastier

Stores love to keep shelves looking full, even if that means stocking way more than they can sell. When products don’t sell in time, they get dumped—simple as that.

What Happens to All That Wasted Food?

So, where does all this food go? Unfortunately, most of it ends up in landfills, where it rots and releases methane gas—a major contributor to climate change. Not exactly the fate you’d want for a perfectly good loaf of bread.

But there’s hope! Some supermarkets donate unsold food to food banks or compost what they can. However, a huge chunk still gets wasted.

What Can Be Done? (And What Can You Do?)

The good news? There are solutions!

✔ More Donations: Some stores are stepping up by donating unsold food to charities instead of trashing it. (Looking at you, France, which made this illegal to waste food!)
✔ Discount Sections for "Ugly" Produce: More supermarkets are selling imperfect fruits and veggies at a discount.
✔ Smarter Shopping Habits: As consumers, we can help by not over-buying food we’ll never eat.
✔ Using Food Waste Apps: Apps like Too Good To Go help people buy unsold supermarket food at a discount.


We Need to Do Better


If you want to cut down on food waste at home, check out the FoodSaver Vacuum Sealer Machine. It extends the shelf life of your groceries by sealing in freshness, reducing spoilage, and saving you money. Find it on Amazon!

Supermarkets waste an outrageous amount of food every year, but change is happening. With smarter policies, better consumer habits, and a little less obsession over "perfect" produce, we can cut down on waste and get more food to the people who actually need it.

Now, what do you think—should supermarkets be legally required to donate unsold food? Let’s talk in the comments!

These are the questions the post answers:

  1. How much food do supermarkets waste each year?
  2. Why do grocery stores throw away so much food?