SAM S Club has come under fire on the Internet for wasting food by pulling it off the shelves before the use-by date, according to local media reports.
Food such as bread and steamed buns were removed from the shelves before the expiry of the use-by date, Shenzhen Evening News reported.
However, Sam s Club defended its action to ensure all food was fresh, the paper said.
A public relations manager with Walmart, the parent of Sam s Club, identified as Zheng, said the disposed food was processed by professional processing companies instead of being sold. The treated food would be used as forage or organic fertilizers, Zheng said.
It was common practice to remove some food from the shelves before their use-by dates in local supermarkets, the paper said.
Renrenle, a popular supermarket chain in Shenzhen, always removed or returned to manufacturers food which was close to the use-by date, it said.
Online opinion was divided on the food disposal by Sam s Club, most of which supported the supermarket, the paper said.
Some people suggested the supermarket sell the discarded food to pig farmers.
(Li Hao)
