Loblaws Wholesale Club in Halifax Diverts Over 150,000 Pounds of Food as Company Targets Zero Landfill Waste by 2030
Through markdowns and farm donations, the Loblaws-owned Wholesale Club in Halifax diverted more than 150,000 pounds of food in 2025. The efforts are part of a broader company goal to send zero food waste to landfills by 2030 while providing affordable groceries to the community.
Loblaws is working toward a goal of sending zero food waste to landfills by 2030, and its Wholesale Club location in Halifax, Nova Scotia, is already contributing significant results. In 2025, the store diverted over 150,000 pounds of food. Ryan Cleveland stated that the 150,000 pounds of diverted food is equivalent to about 14 elephants.
A key component of the diversion strategy is the "Flash Foods" program, which rolled out around 2022. Through the initiative, vegetables nearing expiry are sold at reduced prices via an app. Adam Martin noted that bulk items like 25-pound boxes of tomatoes and green peppers are included in the flash food offerings. The program has gained popularity since its launch, with participation increasing from one to five people per week to one to five people per day.
For food that is beyond consumption, the store donates it straight to farms rather than discarding it.
Halifax MP Shannon Miedema visited the Wholesale Club on Monday for a guided tour regarding their waste reduction efforts. Shannon Miedema stated that reducing food waste helps provide more affordable, healthy food to community members struggling with high grocery prices.
These combined initiatives—app-based markdowns and direct farm donations—are helping Loblaws reduce the volume of food sent to landfills while supporting local agriculture and offering lower-cost fresh groceries to residents.