sample sales: H&M and Wal-Mart destroy and trash unsold goods editor * by Joanna Douglas, Shine Staff, 20 hours ago Cynthia Magnus holds up unworn, destroyed clothing she found in the garbage. Photo by Suzanne DeChillo/New York Times Cynthia Magnus holds up unworn, destroyed clothing she found in the garbage. Photo by Suzanne DeChillo/New York Times This week the New York Times reported a disheartening story about two of the largest retail chains. You see, instead of taking unsold items to sample sales or donating them to people in need, H&M and Wal-Mart have been throwing them out in giant trash bags. And in the case that someone may stumble on these bags and try to keep or re-sell the items, these companies have gone ahead and slashed up garments, cut off the sleeves of coats, and sliced holes in shoes so they are unwearable. This unsettling discovery was made by graduate student Cynthia Magnus outside the back entrance of H&M on 35th street in New York City. Just a few doors down, she also found hundreds of Wal-Mart tagged items with holes made in them that were dumped by a contractor. On December 7, she spotted 20 bags of clothing outside of H&M including, "gloves with the fingers cut off, warm socks, cute patent leather Mary Jane school shoes, maybe for fourth graders, with the instep cut up with a scissor, men’s jackets, slashed across the body and the arms. The puffy fiber fill was coming out in big white cotton balls.” The New York Times points out that one-third of the city's population is poor, which makes this behavior not only wasteful and sad, but downright irresponsible. Wal-Mart spokeswoman, Melissa Hill, acted surprised that these items were found, claiming they typically donate all unworn merchandise to charity. When reporters went around the corner from H&M to a collections drop-off for charity organization New York Cares, spokesperson Colleen Farrell said, “We’d be glad to take unworn coats, and companies often send them to us." After several days of no response from H&M, the company made a statement today, promising to stop destroying the garments at the midtown Manhattan location. They said they will donate the items to charity. H&M spokeswoman Nicole Christie said, "It will not happen again," and that the company would make sure none of the other locations would do so either. Hopefully that's the final word. [NY Times][Huff Post]|||I read that and I hope everyone who frequents these "crap-houses" remembers just how generous and thoughtful they REALLY are. It's about time someone found out and reported the other side of them. They've got many "skeletons in the closet."|||Agreed! I like to spread my dollars around, and really do my homework on these GIANTS and how they got that way, and what they're doing to give back. Thank you! Bogey Report Abuse |||This is part of the price of the new capitalism which is based entirely upon greed. I'm sure that Rush would tell you that the stuff belongs to these stores and that they can and should do with it whatever they want to.|||Years ago I was told they also toss out t.v's and other things so this doesn't surprise me at all. Each of the 5 kids of wally world is worth 16 billion and they didn't get that way giving anything away. They are a tough group to deal with.|||i just read this on yahoo. what a bunch of *ssholes huh? what are these companies thinking? how hard would it have been to call a local shelter to pick the stuff up rather than trash it?|||This practice is nothing new. Stores have done this for years to keep people and employees from resale of items. It goes beyond clothes, they also trash camping equipment that has minor flaws.|||In answer to your question got me thinking about all the tons & tons of taxpayer payed stuff our dear old military dumped into the ocean after WW2 to keep off the civilian market. I suspect they still do it.|||A lot of companies donate materials that dont sell but they have to be careful that people dont try to return them for credit or exchange.|||Seems unconsionable but I bet fear of lawsuits has something to do with it.|||I have a question to ask... Why are so many people digging through other people's garbage? Is that the "hip" thing to do these days?|||waste not, are only simple words but would love to see stores at least donate to a charity|||Yes, I read the article & got a chuckle out of the fact that this wasteful practice is just now coming into the public eye. I first noticed this when I had my first retail job in the 60's! It's been happening ever since I can remember. Especially at the beginning of each year, when the retailers often "pad" their losses for the previous year for a better tax write off & market manipulation. We used to make a trip to the county dump to gleen the excess food & clothing each January 1st-7 & we took out many truck loads of perfectly good stuff that we shared with our friends. These days, the dumps won't let you take anything that has already been dumped. They say they have the salvage rights to all that comes in & is unloaded onto their lot. You can sit outside & still make exchanges with some drivers! I like the fact that these stores aren't doing it themselves, but they seem to have no problems with hiring a small firm or individual as a subcontractor to dispose of their waste & unwanted items! We used to call it "quality control" & I guarantee all of you that this practice will not stop. It will just take on a new twist! Shredding will soon be making a LOT of people a hefty profit!|||25 years ago, our local newspaper ran an article about this practice, it was our local K-mart. Someone had found cases of shoes that were cut up and in the dumpster. The manager said he had to, and couldn't even donate them or they would end up back on the shelves as store returns. Others dishonesty always changes the rules and makes it hard on everyone.|||I asked someone who works in the Walmart corporate office about this. He said that when one of the stores has merchandise that would normally be returned to a vendor for any reason, the vendor may not wish to pay for shipping or handle the returns and will issue a refund or credit and instruct the store to destroy the merchandise rather than send it back. That merchandise no longer belongs to the store, so the store cannot give it away. He also pointed out that millions of dollars worth of product is donated to charities and food banks. It is tragic that perfectly good items are destroyed, but one should not jump to conclusions without knowing the facts.|||Not very "green" is it, to destroy good useable items? The military dumped cargo ships full of new stuff, one after another, after World War II. Heard the story from a man who's father was in charge of a ship that did that for months. He said his father grew up during the Depression and what he had to do depressed him mentally for a long time after he got out of the military. The reasoning was that the economy would suffer if the stuff was sold cheaply, and factories needed to get going again. Individuals are being fed a guilt-trip on a daily basis by the mass media about conserving energy and resources and substainability while the most largest corporations are doing everything possible so we will spend more money. What is right with this scenario?|||Just read it, too...very sad. And Walmart always portrays itself to be for the little guy. We have a Goodwill close by and I often see large lots of clothing, stationary, etc. that Target has donated. All the things are new, with the tags and prices still on them. Score one for a box store with a conscience!|||Private businesses are not the only ones doing this. Tax funded medical facilities trash wheel chairs, hospital beds, furniture, and food. These items are bought and paid for by the tax payers, and any shelter or needy person would be glad to receive these items. But instead they are thrown away. And you wouldn't believe the huge, huge waste of items bought and then trashed by our local, state, and federal governments. Sad, but true. I agree that private businesses should donate unwanted items, but I find it even more tragic that our government uses our money to buy and trash things instead of donating them.|||I read this news this morning I don't know who H&M is but Walmart should be very ashamed of this practice. Wasn't it "us" who made them one of the wealthiest retail chains in the world? Isn't it time to give back to a community that needs help. So many organizations could use these items to distribute to families in need. Especially with the high rate of unemployment, this is inexcusable. Shame on Walmart, Shame,shame, shame.