Being intolerant of waste doesn’t just apply to paper, plastic and the other recyclable materials that come to mind. We have a couple great ways to help prevent food waste in our stores too.

Most Publix stores donate bakery products to local charities and participate in our perishable recovery program to help feed people in need within our communities. Giving these products to people who need them prevents food from unnecessarily entering the landfill. And these two programs are great examples of how associates are living our mission at Publix.

Bakery associates in participating stores gather non-refrigerated products that have exceeded their sell-by dates and place them in a donation box for a local charity. Although these products no longer meet our quality standards to sell at full retail, they are wholesome, tasteful and a welcome supplement to agencies dedicated to helping our communities.

Last year, Publix donated 29 million pounds of bakery items to local food banks and other nonprofit organizations.

Publix also partners with Feeding America and its affiliates to donate designated perishable items. Associates gather select perishable items for a partner agency to pick up in a refrigerated vehicle. Publix stores contributed more than 48 million pounds of perishable food to local food banks in the past year.

These programs are a great example of how we live two parts of our mission — being intolerant of wasteand involved as responsible citizens in our communities. It’s great for our local charitable organizations; it makes Publix people proud, and it’s better for the planet too!

Keep an eye out for more articles on Publix’s mission statement in Publix News or visit corporate.publix.com > About Publix.