Why You Probably Won't Find Discounts On Costco's Bakery Items

Costco is where you go to bulk buy your favorite products, but with all that abundance, there's bound to be an overflow of perishables at times. Baked goods are best served fresh, so these treats can't just sit around for days waiting to be bought. So why is it that you never see Kirkland bakery items on clearance? The answer is that those muffins and pies have somewhere better to be than a sale rack; Costco's leftover bakery items actually end up being donated. Costco usually does well enough to sell most of its inventory, but what doesn't sell gets donated to food waste management organizations like Feeding America, or local food banks, kitchens, and churches.

While there are many food retailers that partner with charity organizations, how much food they actually put through those systems, rather than throwing away, varies greatly. Costco, however, has an overwhelmingly positive record of stories that back up its stated mission to reduce food waste while providing food to those in need. Anonymous discussion online by people working for charitable organizations gives us insight. As one shelter and food bank volunteer shares on Reddit; "We feed SO MANY people b/c of their donations ... Costco makes a big difference in our ability to feed the hungry and unhoused." Costco staff also describe a consistent flow of donations. "Probably 90% of our spoiled food and produce goes to a donation partner," an employee explains.

Some Costco staff say their store does daily donations of food that's not sold before its recommended date, or bakery items that aren't fresh enough to sell at full price. Other charity staff and volunteers share that their local Costco has weekly pickup times for donated items. Either way, it's clear that the wholesale store has a regular, systematic process for donating leftover baked goods. What Costco allegedly does with leftover food court items isn't as clear, with some employees reporting pizzas, hot dogs, and the like being thrown in the trash. As these are cooked food items and many contain meat, there are more food safety hoops to jump through, which unfortunately means it's not always possible to donate them at the end of the day while complying with regulations.

The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Act protects businesses that donate food from being liable if the recipients got sick, which is how Costco donates its bakery items instead of having to throw them out. It's also now illegal to throw away food in five US states, which is further incentive for stores to work with local charities and organizations like Feeding America. And there is a financial reason to comply as well, as one Reddit commenter claims, "the stuff they give away is expensed but there is no revenue booked against it, they effectively get a tax benefit for the money they lose making it but not selling it."

Still, staff insight shows that not all Costcos do their part, with one employee disclosing: "Our store had four pallets of expired bakery stuff yesterday ... The amount of food we throw away is outrageous." Ultimately, it's the responsibility of the management at each Costco location to get leftover bakery items to those who need them.