Target Employee Made to Trash 534 Items Good Until 2026, ‘Marked as Destroy’
A Target employee’s Reddit post recently drew widespread attention after showing hundreds of unopened food items being thrown away despite expiration dates stretching into 2026. The employee said they were instructed to destroy 534 items, all flagged under the company’s internal “destroy” designation.
Shared on the r/Target subreddit, the post included a photo of unsold M&M candies marked for disposal. “These are all still good,” the employee wrote, adding that the items were undamaged and far from expired.
The post quickly gained traction beyond Reddit, sparking frustration and confusion over why edible food was being discarded instead of donated.
What the Employee Was Required to Do
According to the employee, once items are labeled “destroy” in Target’s system, workers are required to discard them in a way that prevents resale or reuse. Deviating from that instruction, even to donate food, can result in disciplinary action.
Other Target employees echoed that experience in the comments. One wrote, “If it says destroy, there’s no option. You follow it or risk your job.” Another added, “We don’t get to decide. Corporate policy does.”
The frustration wasn’t limited to customers. Several commenters identifying as store workers said being forced to trash usable food was one of the hardest parts of the job, especially when local shelters could benefit from it.
Why Donation Isn’t Always the Default
Target says food donation is a core part of its sustainability strategy. The company reports donating more than 160 million pounds of food in its most recent fiscal year and says it prioritizes reuse and waste reduction wherever possible.
Even so, experts say donation decisions often come down to logistics, liability concerns, and strict internal controls. Business Insider notes that retailers worry about food safety risks, transportation costs, and inconsistent local partnerships, even though federal law protects good-faith donors.
Expiration labels also complicate matters. Many foods marked “best by” remain safe long afterward, but store systems don’t always distinguish between quality guidance and actual safety risk, leading to disposal instead of redistribution.
Why Food Waste Keeps Sparking Backlash (And What Can Change)
The reaction to the Target post reflects a broader national issue. Roughly one-third of all food produced in the U.S. is wasted, even as millions of households face food insecurity. Incidents involving sealed, edible products being destroyed tend to resonate because they expose the gap between abundance and access.
Policy experts say several changes could reduce this kind of waste. Clearer federal standards distinguishing “best by” dates from true safety expirations would allow more food to be donated confidently. Expanded tax incentives and liability protections for retailers could also make donation the easier option, rather than disposal, when products are still safe.
Some states have already moved in this direction by strengthening food donation laws and supporting partnerships between retailers and local food banks. New York State, for example, requires large supermarkets to donate edible surplus food instead of discarding it when donation options are available. Advocates argue that wider adoption of these measures could give store-level employees more flexibility and prevent usable food from being destroyed simply because systems default to caution.
