A Family Dollar customer put the company on blast for being wasteful after discovering dumpsters full of brand-new items.
The video featured TikTok user Dee (@believeinyrdreams), who asked her 51,000 followers, “So, does anybody live near a Family Dollar in your area?” She then explains that while she was shopping she overheard the employees talking.
Both employees appeared angry, and one appeared to be “having an anxiety attack.” Why? “All of the employees are told to put all the leftover or the decorations that were not sold in the dumpster,” Dee explained. This also applied to brand-new items. Previously, employees had been allowed to take home any leftover holiday items.
This prompted the content creator to approach the employees and ask a few questions. According to one of the employees, the dumpster was “beyond full” with “boxes and boxes” of new items. In addition to decorations, the company did this with food. “They always have a clothes section, you know, for babies and adults and all that. They don’t sell it, into the dumpster,” she said. This made Dee feel “irate” and “disgusted” that there were “people and families in need” who could’ve benefited.
Afterward, the content creator shared that she went to the back of the store to check it out herself. Her “jaw dropped” in disbelief. “It was just overloaded with box after box after box, not even open,” she said. Underneath the boxes, there were pillows. Overall, the whole experience made her sad.
@believeinyrdreams Unbelievable #waste#food#dumpster#garbage#clothes ♬ original sound – Dee💕
Dumpster diving to expose waste by the retail industry is a common trend on TikTok, according to the New York Times. In some cases, stores do this to clear excess or damaged inventory, get a tax write-off, or prevent counterfeiting.
The Daily Dot reached out to Dee via Instagram direct message and TikTok comment and Dollar Tree via contact form. The video racked up over 333,000 views. In the comments, viewers condemned companies that enforce this policy.
“Thats a real shame that all these stores do that when we hav people that need items & especially food,” one viewer wrote.
“It’s why dumpster diving is a thing. They’re all greedy and disgusting,” a second rebuked.
In addition, others proposed reasons companies may choose to do this.
“They would rather throw it away, then donate it. They would make more money tax wise by doing it as a write off most likely,” one user suggested.
“It is so sad company and corporations. Don’t care as long as they have money,” a second stated.
Previously, dumpster divers have gone viral for their discoveries. A woman unveiled all of the goodies she claimed in a TJ Maxx dumpster, which included “boys and girls’ slides and flip-flops, water toys, beach gear, and baby clothes.” Another content creator discovered warm pizzas in Pizza Hut’s dumpster.
