A target here donates to salvation army.

Target has a different policy than other retail stores. Maybe if we contacted the higher ups at corporate we could change the policy that stores have. It is such a waste, especially when there are so many people who don't make very much money at all.

The things you see being 'thrown out' are written off and the store/company gets full credit for them.. if they donate them, they don't get that credit, and if they sell them at a big percentage off they also don't get full credit. The store is better off financially to throw them out than to sell them at a loss. It is a shame, but that's the way it is. It's first, last and always about the bottom line. Many places not only toss perfectly good items, they distroy them before they put them in the dumpster so that they are not usable. Many perfectly good and usable things are simply throw away to make room for a new line of merchandise or a rework of the display. And most of it comes from overseas someplace. It's no wonder prices everywhere are moving out of reach for many.

Many years ago my son had a part time job in one of the big name deli stores where they sell everything from deodorant to sandwiches. At the end of the day every sandwich that had been made and not sold was tossed. Our son made arrangements with the pastor to "be there" when that happened and they funneled them to the homeless... It was illegal, but sometimes we need to do what we have to do according to our conscience.

OMG - I am totally shocked!!! We have become a disposable country for the sake of bottom the line!!! I always shop the discounted bins at a store but that doesnt keep me from buying other things from the store - in fact I am more apt to buy other things there since I got such a great deal on some items. Our target does donate to Goodwill - I am very happy with that-I frequent both places but I dont wait until its donated to Goodwill to buy it lol

If someone wants to draft a letter to corporate offices I am willing to send it in as I am sure many others would too - we could then not limit the number of letters sent just to this board but to the contacts we have elsewhere. Its unfortunate - we cant boycott the stores since all of them have this policy. None of us would have fabric lol (Actually we could probably shop from other peoples stashes for awhile lol) Please pm me if theres a way to do this thanks cheryl

You remember the story of one bad apple spoils the whole barrell, well that is the problem. This is why the throwing stuff out became normal because rotten apple people worked the system one too many times, making things they wanted some of the things the store was dumping. So stores made it policy to destroy the stuff they were dumping or at least they are supposed too. Patterns are supposed to be destroyed before pitched and they throw them away big time. We ruin it our own selves by being greedy and dishonest. The store had to come up with ways to combat this kind of behavior. Most of the larger Joann's have enclosed the trash where it can not be gotten into from behind the stores, I have noticed more and more stores are doing this since dumpster diving is quite common...

As a merchandiser, I often have to destroy what looks like good products all the time. It sickened me to throw out a hundred or more boxes of Cheerios one day, but something was wrong. Most stores do that to take the full writeoff of the product against their taxes and avoid the "which charity" to give them too. It is sad. I'd rather them put it in a clearance bag and sell it if nothing else. Another thing that bothers me - her in Florida, there are hundreds of orange trees that are full of fruit and the fruit is rotting on the ground because no one can pick it and enjoy it. Something needs to be done to stop this wasteage and find another solution to responsible waste disposal. Let's all speak up and see what we can do to stop this!!!!!! Just my opinion for what its worth.

Target's corporate offices are located here in Minneapolis and they donate all of the buyers' samples to the Salvation Army. Anything from 10 versions of the same t-shirt (round neck, crew neck, turtleneck, etc.) to bedding, small appliances and home furniture. And although I've purchased a new king-size comforter for $12, Target got my business for the matching sheets. I wonder why other retailers can't follow this model?

Okay I'm VERY VERY against dumping. However, stores view it thus - if they GIVE an item to you as a donation someone may (and I've seen them do it) bring it back to the store and get credit for it. I know it sounds stupid but that happens.

There has to be a way to mark things or make a rule at the store - something like "No receipt - no return" that would circumvent this issue.

Dumpster diving can be illegal if the owner reports you to the police. I was a manager of a local restaurant, and did almost have to charge some rainbow people with it. They kept sneaking back to dig old biscuits, eggs and sausage out of the dumpster to eat. This was in July (90 degree temps with high humidity for 5 days) We did NOT offer them free food either as they were non workers, homeless by choice type of people. What they do is travel with as many people they can fit into one vehicle, and dig in dumpsters for food, items they can sell for gas money. They refuse to work for anything. Just pitch tents in farmers fields (not even asking to do so) along the road side, take baths in lakes, rivers etc. Do their clothes in the same places. We get them in the area about every 5 years or so.