&M and Wal-Mart destroy and trash unsold goods

[POed-poster]

This is just flat out disgusting. I don't think I can ever set foot in a Walmart again. This is what is wrong with unchecked capitalism.

H&M and Wal-Mart destroy and trash unsold goods
by Joanna Douglas

This week the New York Times reported a disheartening story about two of the largest retail chains. You see, instead of taking unsold items to sample sales or donating them to people in need, H&M and Wal-Mart have been throwing them out in giant trash bags. And in the case that someone may stumble on these bags and try to keep or re-sell the items, these companies have gone ahead and slashed up garments, cut off the sleeves of coats, and sliced holes in shoes so they are unwearable.

[BradM]

Thanks for this.... not that I ever shop at walmart anyway but damn that's just so wrong on every level. Humanity is doomed.

[Fletch XXX]

you realze groceries throw out meat and animal products everyday which means animals died for nothing, that is far more gross than wasting products made in China.

Grocery stores throw out rotting meat every day, bad milk... animals were slaughtered/tormented for no reason, that is injustice.

[POed-poster]

Originally Posted by Fletch XXX

you realze groceries throw out meat and animal products everyday which means animals died for nothing, that is far more gross than wasting products made in China.

Grocery stores throw out rotting meat every day, animals were slaughtered for no reason, that is injustice.

But if the meat is rotting, it NEEDS to be thrown out. The stores where I shop will dramatically reduce the price of meat that is approaching the expiration date. They at least TRY to sell it. The ethical treatment of animals in slaughter houses is a different matter, on which you have a point. But in this case, the items were nonperishable. The SOLE reason they were destroyed was to prevent people from picking them out of the trash. There was no reason OTHER THAN GREED to destroy them.

[BradM]

Originally Posted by Fletch XXX

you realze groceries throw out meat and animal products everyday which means animals died for nothing, that is far more gross than wasting products made in China.

Grocery stores throw out rotting meat every day, bad milk... animals were slaughtered for no reason, that is injustice.

What people don't realize is that it is more than just the death of the animal - the grain or whatever they are feeding the animal has to be grown. That uses topsoil. Topsoil regenerates something like 25x slower than the rate we are using it. The U.N. says that on a global basis, the rate of loss is 10 to 100 times faster than that of replacement. So we are only contributing to the impending and eventual food crisis once we hit population limits, waste limits etc.

So we're fucked. Every time you throw away a piece of food we fuck ourselves.

[POed-poster]

Originally Posted by BradM

Thanks for this.... not that I ever shop at walmart anyway but damn that's just so wrong on every level. Humanity is doomed.

It would seem so.

[ShellyCrash]

I saw this morning that H&M is promising to no longer destroy unsold goods.

http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2010/...stroy_and.html

WalMart is saying it's "not their policy" to trash products, but they aren't taking the same steps as H&M and assuring it won't happen in the future.

[Jman]

Originally Posted by Fletch XXX

you realze groceries throw out meat and animal products everyday which means animals died for nothing, that is far more gross than wasting products made in China.

Grocery stores throw out rotting meat every day, bad milk... animals were slaughtered/tormented for no reason, that is injustice.

Could not agree more and this is why I have been looking for a small farm with around 80-100 acres in eastern townships, so I can become as self sufficient as possible... City life is draining me.

[BradM]

Originally Posted by Jean-Francois

Could not agree more and this is why I have been looking for a small farm with around 80-100 acres in eastern townships, so I can become as self sufficient as possible... City life is draining me.

Wanna build a cottage on the land for me? I'm looking for a get away a few months of the year.

[Fletch XXX]

Originally Posted by POed-poster

But if the meat is rotting, it NEEDS to be thrown out. The stores where I shop will dramatically reduce the price of meat that is approaching the expiration date. They at least TRY to sell it. The ethical treatment of animals in slaughter houses is a different matter, on which you have a point. But in this case, the items were nonperishable. The SOLE reason they were destroyed was to prevent people from picking them out of the trash. There was no reason OTHER THAN GREED to destroy them.

Greed fuels many injustices. I see your point.

[Fletch XXX]

Originally Posted by BradM

What people don't realize is that it is more than just the death of the animal - the grain or whatever they are feeding the animal has to be grown. That uses topsoil. Topsoil regenerates something like 25x slower than the rate we are using it. The U.N. says that on a global basis, the rate of loss is 10 to 100 times faster than that of replacement. So we are only contributing to the impending and eventual food crisis once we hit population limits, waste limits etc.

So we're fucked. Every time you throw away a piece of food we fuck ourselves.

Glad I am not the only one who enjoys facts like that. These discussions are a bit too complicated for msg forums imho. But facts are facts.

[BradM]

Originally Posted by Fletch XXX

Glad I am not the only one who enjoys facts like that. These discussions are a bit too complicated for msg forums imho. But facts are facts.

Ya I am a nuts and bolts person. When I read this article the thing I thought about most was where the energy came from to produce the clothing that was destroyed, and the petrol used to make it all and the impact THAT had on humans. Sure the human element of homeless making better use of the clothing interested me but there are CORE issues we tend to just innocently (or not so much) overlook.

[DaddyHalbucks]

Makes sense, in a way. If people can get a free jacket from a dumpster, why buy one from Wal-Mart?

What makes less sense to me is buying billions of dollars of goods from a likely adversary, China.

[Jman]

Originally Posted by BradM

Wanna build a cottage on the land for me? I'm looking for a get away a few months of the year.

LMAO only if you be my little spoon a couple of nights a week while you are there

[crockett]

Originally Posted by POed-poster

This is just flat out disgusting. I don't think I can ever set foot in a Walmart again. This is what is wrong with unchecked capitalism.

They do it to keep from getting sued and typically the manufacturers require that they do it. Way back before I did adult, I was supervisor for a guy that had contracts with several Target stores to maintain their floors.

We used to see them trash so much shit it was amazing. It's pretty much standard operating procedure for all dept stores and is normally done to reduce their legal liability. Most manufacturers do not want the products back and require damaged/discontinued goods to be destroyed.

It's not a Walmart thing it's a industry thing due to law suites.

[Fletch XXX]

anyone get mad when they rip covers off books and magazines and trash em?

Far more offensive to destory books than clothes! ;)

Books are thoughts and ideas, clothes are just covers for our naked insecurity!!!

[NOTR]

Standard practice, the higher end companies burn them instead of shredding them. Chanel's and the likes.

[woj]

Originally Posted by POed-poster

But if the meat is rotting, it NEEDS to be thrown out. The stores where I shop will dramatically reduce the price of meat that is approaching the expiration date. They at least TRY to sell it. The ethical treatment of animals in slaughter houses is a different matter, on which you have a point. But in this case, the items were nonperishable. The SOLE reason they were destroyed was to prevent people from picking them out of the trash. There was no reason OTHER THAN GREED to destroy them.

why does everyone have to bring up "greed" into conversations like this? I wouldn't call it "greed", they were destroyed because destroying them increases profits for walmart and its shareholders, which is the whole point of running a business...

[greg80]

See what happened to this industry because it didn't (couldn't) destroy old porn. It's now free everywhere, free on tubes with no owner to claim copyright. If you don't get rid of old products or what's left over, people will just take them for free and not buy anything anymore.

[SmokeyTheBear]

i should add , playboy does this every month

[seeandsee]

short story = FUCKERS

[fmltube]

Do you get this outraged when fast food places like McDoalds tosses food thats been in the window too long in the garbage instead of giving it to homeless people or those that are starving? Destroying product is the only way companies can legally claim the loss/tax write off.

[BradM]

Originally Posted by fmltube

Do you get this outraged when fast food places like McDoalds tosses food thats been in the window too long in the garbage instead of giving it to homeless people or those that are starving? Destroying product is the only way companies can legally claim the loss/tax write off.

Yes, I do.

[96ukssob]

Originally Posted by BradM

Thanks for this.... not that I ever shop at walmart anyway but damn that's just so wrong on every level. Humanity is doomed.

its just like food too. many places through out perfectly good food, but this is a lawsuit loving country. someone eats the food, get sick then sues. Im sure there is some logical reason they would burn the stuff they dont sell