This little tidbit may make you love Aldi even more
Here’s What Aldi Does with Unsold Food
Published on Apr. 29, 2025
As you’re shopping the aisles of a fully stocked Aldi, you might wonder: What happens to all this food nobody buys by the expiration date? Costco has a very cool plan for its unsold muffins and other items, but what about the German discount supermarket known for its quirky, cost-conscious approach to grocery sales? Is the thrifty grocer equally waste-not with its leftovers—or is it dumping tons of perfectly good food in a landfill?
It’s an important question, given that a staggering 133 billion pounds of food are wasted in the U.S. each year, according to the USDA. We all know that not everything flies off shelves (and use-by and best-by dates don’t necessarily mean what we think), so what happens to the overage? Read on to find out exactly what Aldi does with its unsold food.
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What is Aldi’s approach to unsold food?
Aldi is as focused on eliminating food waste as it is on keeping grocery prices down. “We strive to never let good food go to waste,” states its corporate website—and these aren’t just empty words: The grocer donated a mighty 39 million pounds of food in 2024. Through its partnership with Feeding America, Aldi shipped 29,000 boxes of shelf-stable food to people impacted by hurricanes and other natural disasters in 2024. The groceries—hand-packed by Aldi employees—go to Feeding America’s warehouses, so they are ready in the event of disasters. The provisions have helped hurricane victims in Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico, and flooding victims in Michigan.
But in the efforts to stop food waste, Aldi also thinks local. It teams up with community food banks as a way to chip away at the urgent problem of food insecurity (about 14% of households were food insecure in 2023). Aldi stores and warehouses donate food past their sell-by dates but still safe for human consumption as a way to help tackle hunger.
Does Aldi give away any non-food items?
Sure enough, Aldi also donates non-food items to communities hard hit by disasters. After a flood, fire or tornado, say, Feeding America lets the grocery brand know what is desperately needed, and Aldi ships it straightaway. The list includes must-haves like diapers, cleaning supplies and water bottles.
How else does the chain avoid food waste?
The whole ethos of this chain is about not being wasteful. That starts with their store size. Aldi stores are only about 12,000 square feet, which is smaller than most other grocery stores, according to the brand’s website. They not only have fewer shelves to fill, but they’re also strategic about stocking them with the hottest-selling items. That way, they end up with fewer unclaimed goods.
So is Aldi a zero-waste supermarket?
Aldi has vowed to achieve zero waste in operations by the end of 2025. The company reports that they are doing it by diverting 90% of their waste from landfills through recycling, donation and organic recycling efforts. (Fun fact: Aldi was the first major grocery retailer to completely eliminate plastic bags.) The grocery giant recycles all kinds of stuff: cardboard, plastic wrap, damaged pallets, even batteries and electronics.
What happens to old Aldi food that isn’t safe for humans?
Don’t worry, Aldi isn’t sending groceries that are past their prime to people. But they’re not chucking them all in landfills either. Instead, this eco-aware grocer is diverting almost 2 million pounds of food waste a year from landfills to organic recycling and animal feed. Yes, animal feed. So they are truly feeding America—pigs and cows included.
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Sources:
- USDA: “Food Waste FAQs”
- Aldi: “Our Partnerships”
- Aldi: “Waste and Recovery”
- Aldi: “Feeding America”
- Supermarket News: “Inside Aldi’s war on plastic”
- Progressive Grocer: “Aldi becomes 1st Major U.S. Retailer to Eliminate Plastic Shopping Bags”
