Waste

We aim to break the link between consumption and waste, moving toward a more circular economy where materials stay in use instead of being thrown out at the end of their purpose. We have set a goal to achieve zero waste in own operations in the U.S. and Canada, by 2025, and we’re working with suppliers to use less packaging, design for recyclability and improve waste reduction systems.

Walmart U.S. has set bold commitments to achieve 100% recyclable, reusable or industrially compostable packaging for our private brand packaging by 2025, the current rate is at 58%. We’re also aiming to label 100% of that packaging with recycling instructions to educate our customers and eliminate non-recyclable packaging by the same time frame. Additionally, we just launched Community Recycling Units at select Walmart and Sam’s Club locations that recycle items that most curbside recycling programs don't accept - such as plastic food wrappers, cosmetic packaging and more. The Community Recycling Unit is a free, self-service drop-off container for your recyclables. Help us reduce waste, recycle more and reuse materials.

Read more about Walmart's waste commitment.

While plastic provides numerous benefits, society has been unable to collect and manage it at the same rate as it is produced. To achieve zero plastic waste, we are working across our business, with suppliers, governments, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and other industry leaders to:

• Optimize product packaging at Walmart and beyond, using less plastic and aiming for 100% reusable, recyclable or industrially compostable packaging 
• Reduce reliance on plastic bags 
• Engage customers to reduce, reuse and recycle 
• Reduce operational waste 
• Catalyze innovations in waste reduction systems 

Plastic waste in our operations

Throughout our operations, we aim to eliminate plastic waste by reducing, reusing and recycling plastic needed to run our business. For example, we contract with vendors to collect and recycle rigid plastics and plastic film, produced from our operations and returned from customers. In 2021, we recycled more than 313 million pounds of plastic film and rigid plastics globally.

Read more about our efforts to move towards a more circular economy.

Beyond the Bag

Creating large-scale change to address a global waste challenge simply can’t happen in a vacuum. It calls for commitment and cooperation from across the industry to drive change through inventive, even transformational thinking.

In 2020, we joined “Beyond the Bag” initiative as a founding partner to accelerate innovation for retail shopping bags. With funding from Walmart, Target and CVS Health, this three-year initiative is led by Closed Loop Partners with the goal of identifying, testing and implementing viable design solutions and models that more sustainably serve the purpose of the current retail bag. Collectively, Founding Partners have committed $15 million to launch the Beyond the Bag Initiative.

As we continue our journey to reducing single use plastic bags, we’re committed to identifying solutions that prioritize customers’ convenience and expectations, no matter how you shop with us. Click here to learn more about states where we’re eliminating single use plastic pages from our operations.

To learn more about our waste elimination initiatives, including our resources for reducing plastic packaging waste and market-specific waste goals, see the Walmart Sustainability Hub, Walmart Canada and Walmart Mexico.

Plastic and other packaging waste in our supply chain

According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the majority of plastic packaging is single-use. To help accelerate the elimination of plastic packaging waste, we’re working with suppliers to:

• Change packaging to reduce unnecessary plastic, improve recyclability, increase recycled content
  We encourage both our private brand and national brand suppliers to eliminate waste from their operations and the products and packaging they sell through Walmart, and we set specific targets for our private brand suppliers. In February 2019 we established a goal for our North American private brands to achieve 100% recyclable, reusable or industrially compostable packaging and to use 20% post-consumer recycled content by 2025 — a goal expected to impact an estimated 30,000 items for sale. We collaborate with suppliers, retailers, the NGO community and others to help reduce plastic waste Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) Plastics Coalition and Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Plastics Pact Network.
  
• Encourage industry adoption of new product and packaging formats, including reuse and refill options, by piloting innovative solutions with suppliers
  We have encouraged suppliers to develop new product and packaging formats that can greatly reduce or even eliminate the need for single use packaging. To help our customers more easily find reusable and refillable options, on Earth Day, April 22, 2020, Walmart.com launched a new Reduce, Reuse, Recycle shop featuring a range of sustainability features that customers can sort by including reduce energy, reduce food waste, reduce plastic and recycle.
  
• Engage customers to educate and inspire them to reduce, reuse and recycle plastic
  By working with suppliers to encourage packaging reductions, recyclability and reusability, we aim to help reduce waste for customers. To put more consumer-friendly recycling information on packaging, we have asked our private brand suppliers to label our food and consumable private brand packaging with the standardized How2Recycle® label, and we encourage our national brand suppliers to use the label as well. We also sell reusable shopping bags and provide access to in-store plastic bag and film recycling bins for customers in more than 4,500 stores.
  

What is Walmart doing to help customers reduce food waste?

Millions of tons of food, products, and packaging move through our facilities each year, and we aim to reduce the amount of unpurchased food that goes to waste.

While food is often lost along the food supply chain, a significant amount of food is wasted at the household level. Data from the UNEP shows that some 60% of food waste happens in peoples’ homes.

We encourage customers to help reduce household food waste and support local food recovery/hunger relief programs. Collective action from food companies, retailers, manufacturers and consumers is therefore vital to tackle the problem together.

Start with these quick tips to help reduce food waste at home. 

Learn the Labels

We encourage suppliers to standardize date labeling to improve customer decision-making.  This includes using the term “Best If Used By” on packaged-food labeling if the date is simply related to optimal quality rather than safety; in the case of safety, the terms “use by” appears on the package.

• Best If Used By – this date indicates when the item is at peak quality (as suggested by the product supplier/manufacturer).  While it is not an expiration date, it’s a good indication of whether the product is fresh.  So use your judgement – if it looks good, smells good, and tastes good, it’s probably OK to consume.
• Use By or Freeze By – this date indicates a product that is time- or temperature-sensitive. You should either use or place the product in your freezer by this date. 

Fresh-sliced deli labels

• You may see today’s date on a fresh-sliced deli meat or cheese item. What you’re seeing is not an expiration date, but the day we sliced your meat or cheese.
• Freshly cut, refrigerated deli meat will remain fresh for about 6 days. Cheese will remain safe to consume for 2-3 weeks.

Save Some Dough

• Plan meals in advance before you go shopping and stick to the list.  Consider how you could use leftovers to create a new meal.  Need inspiration?  Explore easy and affordable recipe ideas and add ingredients right to your cart!  Use the servings dropdown to right-size portions and budget. 

• Look for yellow tag items with slightly damaged packaging or near-expiry dates for extra savings.  These items are discounted as part of our Customer Value Program and ready to eat.  Be sure to enjoy soon and pay attention to the date label printed on the sticker.

Keep It Safe and Fresh

• Place all chilled or frozen products in the refrigerator or freezer as soon as possible.
• Place raw meat and seafood on the bottom shelf, avoiding direct contact with ready-to-eat foods.
• Always wash whole produce thoroughly before you eat it.
• Thoroughly cook foods to a recommended, safe internal temperature.
• Place any leftovers in the refrigerator within two hours of cooking.
• Use your freezer to keep food fresh longer.

Eat Those Leftovers

• Place leftovers on a designated shelf at eye level so you see and eat them first.
• Create a smorgasbord of leftovers for your family to graze on.
• Repurpose the rest of that rotisserie chicken into chicken salad or make croutons from leftover bread. 

Walmart’s work to achieve zero waste

Walmart aspires to achieve zero waste in our global operations, with a strong focus on minimizing food waste across the broader value chain.  In addition to our zero operational waste goal, Walmart set a goal to cut our operational food loss and waste in half by 2030.

Our strategies for reducing food loss and waste and achieving our goal include:

Supply Chain Optimization

• Implementing best practices to optimize inventory and reduce food spoilage, and working with suppliers to improve forecasting and demand planning.
• Anticipating the demand customers may have for a particular item can help us reduce the amount of food that may go unpurchased.

In-Store Solutions

• Donating unsold but safe-to-eat food to local food banks through partnerships like Feeding America.
• Utilizing markdowns and innovative merchandising to sell near-expiration products.
• Repurposing select unsold food that is not past expiry.  For example, where French bread is nearing expiry, we may turn it into dried croutons.
• In Chile and Mexico, our “Imperfect but Good” programs offer customers the opportunity to purchase at discounted prices food that is either close to expiration or that has aesthetic defects.

Innovative and Strategic Partnerships

Walmart collaborates with suppliers, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and technology partners to pilot innovative solutions for food waste reduction.

• Partner with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to develop strategies for reducing waste in the supply chain.
• Joined the U.S. Food Waste Pact, a national voluntary agreement to help food businesses accelerate progress toward their waste reduction targets.  The U.S. Food Waste Pact expanded our previous work as a member of the Pacific Coast Food Waste Commitment, a public-private partnership of major food businesses and local, state, and provincial governments on the West Coast, collaboratively aiming to cut food waste by 50% by 2030.
• Collaborate with the Consumer Goods Forum members of the Food Waste Coalition to test and scale food waste reduction practices.
• Member of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPAs) U.S. Food Loss and Waste 2030 Champions program.
• You can read more about these efforts in the Waste: Circular Economy section of our ESG reporting site.