by SERRI GRASLIE | All Things Considered | August 23, 2012
Runner Tom Howard holds up the merchandise at a grocery auction in Dallas, Pa., in 2009. These auctions are becoming more popular as people look for deals on food that’s past its prime. [Image | Matt Rourke/AP]
It’s not illegal to sell most expired food, but many Americans are pretty attached to sell-by and best-by dates.
Jonathan Bloom, author of a book on food waste called American Wasteland, says many people have grown to fear those expiration dates.
Every year, U.S. grocers discard $10 billion to $15 billion in unsold products. The items might be damaged, discontinued, seasonal or food thats just close to its sell-by date.
Some of those products might be sent to a landfill, contributing to the massive food waste problem. Some go to a food bank or even get delivered to shelters, as with this company in Boulder, Colo. But increasingly, they might also be resold to the public. Grocery auctions are joining salvage grocery and dollar stores as a popular clearinghouse for food thats past its prime.
Read on: Willing To Play The Dating Game With Your Food? Try A Grocery Auction : The Salt : NPR