BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Millions of people in the United States suffer from food insecurity , with more than 40 percent of food lost throughout the production chain. Major merchants such as Kroger, Walmart, and Costco are stepping up to address this issue by donating expired food, which aids those in need while also increasing the stores’ profits. In 2022 alone, supermarkets and businesses contributed about two billion pounds of food, worth approximately $3.
5 billion. These donations are increasingly acknowledged as a sound economic decision that also provides much-needed food to communities. The expanding role of supermarkets in food donation Retailers have traditionally contributed to food banks , helping to address the needs of the nearly 50 million Americans who are food insecure.
In 2022, more than 200 food banks affiliated with Feeding America received about two billion pounds of food from supermarkets, accounting for approximately 30 percent of all food supplied by these groups. Supermarkets now provide more food to food banks than federal initiatives such as the USDA’s Emergency Food Assistance Program. According to Feeding America , supermarkets and other large merchants play an important role in supplying food banks with perishable foods that are still safe to consume but are no longer eligible for retail sale due to minor quality issues.
For many merchants, this act of generosity is more than just a nice gesture; it is a financially savvy option wi.