In the world of retail, where millions of products pass through shelves each day, there are bound to be some unsettling discoveries. If you think that retail work is without its startling downsides, think again. We’ve all heard horror stories about the fast-food industry, but one recent Reddit thread reveals tales of gross encounters at grocery stores—Walmart in particular—that seem to reach another level altogether. From forgotten food items festering for months to inexplicable objects left in bizarre places, employees have shared their harrowing experiences in a thread titled “What’s the grossest thing you’ve found at work?”
The post, accompanied by a haunting image of moldy beef jerky, quickly became a repository for some of the most stomach-churning anecdotes from Walmart staff across the country. Here’s a glimpse into the unsettling world behind the scenes of Walmart, America’s largest retail chain.
Walmart employees share "gross" horror stores
"I found a 1lb ground beef roll that was under the floral case for nearly a year. It was inflated like a beach ball. Needless to say we triple bagged it and threw it into an open top dumpster," shared one employee, highlighting the horrors lurking beneath seemingly innocuous places.
Another tale unfolded in the bedding section, where a whole rotten crab lay concealed for months, despite the store not even stocking such items. "A whole rotten crab behind the bedding. It was there for months and we didn't sell whole crabs," recounted an employee, baffled by the mystery of its origin.
In the realm of expired goods, one unfortunate customer found themselves sipping on a curdled protein shake that had expired almost two months prior. "Just yesterday I bought a protein shake that I realized halfway through drinking it when it started becoming curdled had expired almost two months ago," they lamented. That's certainly a reminder to check expiration dates!
One vivid account came from an employee in the bread aisle. "I was working topstock down on the bread aisle. Found a lot of random stuff people just tossed up there because Walmart. But then, about halfway down the aisle, buried under a hill of expired vendor bread, I saw it. An expired loaf of French bread from the Bakery," they recalled. The bread was 4 months expired, and the commenter claims "it was one of the more fascinating things I've seen." The loaf was a canvas of colors—grey-green, yellow, white, and even orange. "I took it to the Bakery for them to claim out, kinda wish I had taken a pic of it lol," they added.
From rotten potatoes liquefying beneath produce racks to wet cat food infested with maggots, the list of repulsive encounters seemed endless. "A bag of rotten potatoes, almost liquefied, right there under a produce rack. There is nothing that smells as bad or as gross as rotten potatoes," shared another employee, capturing the nauseating essence of their discovery.
Even more baffling was the discovery of a used baby diaper casually left among the pet supplies—a reminder of the strange and inexplicable behaviors witnessed within the confines of a Walmart store. "A used baby diaper that someone just decided was dog food and left it sitting on the shelf with bags of dog food. It was still warm," recounted one employee. Gross!
Reading through these anecdotes, we can't help but wonder about the unseen horrors lurking behind every shelf and aisle. It's certainly a testament to the resilience of employees. And for the rest of us, it's a reminder to always inspect our purchases, at the very least.
READ MORE: These Are The 6 Worst Foods At Walmart, According To Shoppers: ‘Disgusting’
