what happens to expired food at the grocery store?

Depending on what it is. Dairy and fresh items (such as meats etc) have to be tossed out. Canned items depending on the actual expire date can be thrown out or donated if there are still a few days left on the expiration. Same goes with frozen. Grocery stores have to watch in the donations of expired food as someone can claim to get sick from it and sue the store. This happened to Macys when day old bread was dontated to a shelter. A man sued because he said the day old bread made him sick and he almost choked on it. After that all bread was thrown out.

Expired Food Grocery Store

Some will go to food banks but for the most part it gets tossed in the dumpsters. Perishable like fresh produce and deli meats and refrigerated items (or, in other words, not canned foods) can cause health problems if eaten too far past a sell by date or expiration date. This makes just giving them away a liability problem, so the stores tend to pick and choose what items, if any, they will give away to food banks and such. The others get tossed (usually in locked dumpsters) so that they won't get sued.

meat and dairy has to be thrown out, most of the nonparishables are donated, breads and baked goods are day old and half the price.

Donated to the local food pantry.

they take it to the homless shelters sometimes.

According to a recent tv prog in England, it all just gets throw in the outside bin and certain types of people help themselves in the dead of night.

the meat is often relabeled for a day or 2 later.. so if you buy meat that is rotten before the package date, don't be shy about returning it and complaining...

It is given back to the distributer and the grocery store is refunded.

It is picked up by the company that sold it to the grocery store and the store is given credit for the unsold items.