Sad

Most large chain grocery stores where I live do donate things like the old bread to local shelters or food banks. In 1996 a US federal law was passed called “The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Act.” It basically states that places or people donating seemingly good and wholesome food are absolved from liability from eating that food, except where they are grossly negligent and provide dangerous food. The three big hurdles to the bill at that many in food industries are unaware of it, large chain stores may have prescribed procedures and rules for both how “food waste” is disposed, and what types of approval are needed and constraints of charitable donations; and lastly, that there is no official organization tasked with the logistics of collecting and distributing food- often perishable food that needs proper storage and will quickly (within hours) spoil. It is largely on local non profits or volunteers to both solicit donations and dispense them at their cost, or on charities themselves.