-- Posted by ferakin at 7:25 am on Sep. 21, 2008 Not just picking on Starbucks here, because tons and tons of places do this too but I have first-hand experience with the Starbucks wasting so i'll use that as an example. Basically, supermarkets and cafes throw out loads of goods because they're "damaged". A supermarket will throw out perfectly edible kit kats because they've fallen out of their multipack bag and can't be sold seperately. They're not out of date, they're not dodgy, they're utterly edible. Starbucks will throw out a perfectly edible cookie simply because it's broken in two and "no customer would want to buy it", and they don't even let staff then take this waste. Wouldn't it be an idea for the supermarkets and cafes of the world (or at least the UK, to start) could just make up a bag of their edible but damaged goods and take it to the local homeless shelter? It is such a waste!!! x -- Posted by Molfsontan at 7:28 am on Sep. 21, 2008 I agree that this is a useless waste, homeless people could be getting fed! -- Posted by snowfish at 7:29 am on Sep. 21, 2008 A lot of places do donate those goods to a food bank, food not bombs program, or even as food for local livestock. You should try to network something if you feel strongly about this. Try to find the local Food Not Bombs or a food bank and talk to Starbucks about it. If they resist, get people to write in. -- Posted by ferakin at 7:32 am on Sep. 21, 2008 Quote: from snowfish at 7:29 am on Sep. 21, 2008 A lot of places do donate those goods to a food bank, food not bombs program, or even as food for local livestock. You should try to network something if you feel strongly about this. Try to find the local Food Not Bombs or a food bank and talk to Starbucks about it. If they resist, get people to write in. Excellent, thank you. I assume these organisations will operate in the UK too? x -- Posted by MattJ at 7:33 am on Sep. 21, 2008 I think there coffee is a waste....why is this question for intellectuals only? -- Posted by Disposition at 7:34 am on Sep. 21, 2008 Grocery stores do it too. Yes, it is a waste, but there's a law against giving away the slightly damaged goods. If someone got sick off of that food, the company would probably be sued for giving it away. Food banks do get damaged items for grocery stores, but not from too many other sources. -- Posted by FurryPanther at 7:38 am on Sep. 21, 2008 I don't know about the UK, because the company is very different over there, but in North America, the sweeping majority donate the pastries. And going by the company policy, it'd be a safe bet that they do in the UK as well. FP -- Posted by ManicD at 7:40 am on Sep. 21, 2008 Let staff take the food and suddenly food staff like will get 'accidentally' damaged and thus be taken by staff. give the food to a homeless shelter and if someone was to get ill, the company gets sued!!! companies cant risk getting sued when they make no original money fro teh item!! Its all about money, with staff, staff will damage the goods, with shelters, they coudl get sued!!! -- Posted by snowfish at 7:41 am on Sep. 21, 2008 Quote: from ferakin at 10:32 am on Sep. 21, 2008 Quote: from snowfish at 7:29 am on Sep. 21, 2008 A lot of places do donate those goods to a food bank, food not bombs program, or even as food for local livestock. You should try to network something if you feel strongly about this. Try to find the local Food Not Bombs or a food bank and talk to Starbucks about it. If they resist, get people to write in. Excellent, thank you. I assume these organisations will operate in the UK too? x yep, I know that they exist in the UK, I'm not sur ehow widely spread though. -- Posted by snowfish at 7:43 am on Sep. 21, 2008 Quote: from ManicD at 10:40 am on Sep. 21, 2008 Let staff take the food and suddenly food staff like will get 'accidentally' damaged and thus be taken by staff. give the food to a homeless shelter and if someone was to get ill, the company gets sued!!! companies cant risk getting sued when they make no original money fro teh item!!   Its all about money, with staff, staff will damage the goods, with shelters, they coudl get sued!!! the food bank I go to always has products that are damaged/past their date. folk going to food banks don't usually have the agency to sue I guess, because we def. get products that are iffy, but I'm glad to take the risk and eat them. -- Posted by ferakin at 7:44 am on Sep. 21, 2008 Quote: from FurryPanther at 7:38 am on Sep. 21, 2008 I don't know about the UK, because the company is very different over there, but in North America, the sweeping majority donate the pastries. And going by the company policy, it'd be a safe bet that they do in the UK as well. FP Well as far as i'm aware, many companies don't. Hence the birth of 'Freegans' who root around in supermarket bins for their free dinner (don't know if they originated here or in the USA). I certainly haven't been told that Starbucks do, since we just throw the food in the bin (unless I can convince them to give me the food!). -- Posted by FurryPanther at 7:46 am on Sep. 21, 2008 Quote: from ferakin at 8:44 am on Sep. 21, 2008 Quote: from FurryPanther at 7:38 am on Sep. 21, 2008 I don't know about the UK, because the company is very different over there, but in North America, the sweeping majority donate the pastries. And going by the company policy, it'd be a safe bet that they do in the UK as well.    FP Well as far as i'm aware, many companies don't. Hence the birth of 'Freegans' who root around in supermarket bins for their free dinner (don't know if they originated here or in the USA). I certainly haven't been told that Starbucks do, since we just throw the food in the bin (unless I can convince them to give me the food!).   Ask, because I know it's company policy that they make an effort to find a donation spot. FP -- Posted by ManicD at 12:07 pm on Sep. 21, 2008 Quote: from snowfish at 3:43 pm on Sep. 21, 2008 Quote: from ManicD at 10:40 am on Sep. 21, 2008 Let staff take the food and suddenly food staff like will get 'accidentally' damaged and thus be taken by staff.    give the food to a homeless shelter and if someone was to get ill, the company gets sued!!! companies cant risk getting sued when they make no original money fro teh item!!      Its all about money, with staff, staff will damage the goods, with shelters, they coudl get sued!!! the food bank I go to always has products that are damaged/past their date. folk going to food banks don't usually have the agency to sue I guess, because we def. get products that are iffy, but I'm glad to take the risk and eat them. no win no fee solicitors..... you dont need money to sue someone, just a solicitor who wants to take the case -- Posted by obvious child at 2:51 pm on Sep. 21, 2008 My foodbank gets day old and otherwise non-saleable good from groceries and bakeries.