FOOD NEWS
Where Does Aldi's Leftover Stock Really Go?
By Riya Anne Polcastro
Giant retailers play a sizeable role in contributing to global food waste, which makes you wonder what major stores like Aldi do with their leftovers.
Like most major grocers, Aldi donates leftovers that are not past their expiry date (and therefore still considered safe for human consumption) to charities and food banks.
In the U.K., that amounted to just under 11% of the chain's excess stock in 2022. In the U.S., 33 million pounds of food were donated in 2021.
Unfortunately, the vast majority of leftover stock is past its expiration date and is composted via anaerobic digestion and thus converted to fertilizer and energy.
Naturally, this is better than tossing the food in a landfill, but with over 89% of the surplus from U.K. Aldi stores going to waste in 2022, it still needs improvement.
However, U.K. Aldi stores have made it a thing in years past to donate surplus perishables to food banks after closing on Christmas Eve.
Donations typically include fresh fish and meat, bakery items, dairy, produce, and ready-made meals, and hopefully, this U.K. Aldi store commitment will spread to the U.S. stores.