A litter-picking councillor was left stunned after pulling discarded bagels from a public bin that also contained dog waste.
Councillor Gill Thomas came across the find, describing how what looked like perfectly good food had been dumped in with general rubbish and contaminated material.
She said the incident was a stark reminder of both ongoing food waste issues and the “completely avoidable” misuse of public bins.
Councillor Thomas, who regularly takes part in community litter picks, said the discovery underlined the importance of better awareness around food disposal and reducing unnecessary waste.
In a subsequently deleted social media post, Cllr Thomas said: “It just caught my eye while I was driving through Eastcombe.
“On closer inspection, there were four unopened bags of bagels—reduced stock, all with a sell-by date of today.
“People often complain when bins are full or overflowing, but it would really help if perfectly good food wasn’t being thrown away like this. It just adds to the problem.
“I’ve taken the bagels home and frozen them. There is absolutely nothing wrong with them. I won’t tell my kids where they came from—they’re at that age where everything is ‘disgusting’, though in this case they might have a point.
“None of us are perfect, and there may well be a story of hardship or struggle behind this,” she added. “But at a time when people are skipping meals, relying on food banks, and counting every penny, seeing perfectly good food in a bin is both frustrating and heartbreaking.
“Surplus food can often be donated, shared with neighbours, or offered through local community groups instead of being wasted,” they said. “If anyone can genuinely make use of these bagels, please let me know—it’s only a small amount, but it could still help someone. My ever-ravenous 15-year-old son will devour them otherwise.”
Cllr Thomas told Stroud Times: “For the avoidance of doubt, I have never advocated feeding children contaminated food, encouraged people to go bin diving or suggested anyone should ignore food safety. Any claims that suggest otherwise are entirely false and inaccurate.
“What I highlighted was the sight of four unopened, sealed bags of bagels, still within their sell-by date, discarded in a dual purpose (residual/dog waste) public bin and taking up much of its capacity. It was a stark example of both misuse of public bins and the shocking amount of perfectly edible food that is wasted. At a time when many families are struggling with the cost of living and food banks are under immense pressure, that should concern all of us.
“It was my personal decision to take those bagels home for my own household after satisfying myself they were unopened and suitable to eat. I am not suggesting that anyone else should make the same choice.
“Countless people probably passed that bin without a second glance. They saw nothing, said nothing and did nothing. I chose to stop, question it and start a conversation – I took action when no one else did. As a Green councillor that’s my job. I campaign tirelessly for cleaner communities, reducing waste and challenging the throw away culture that has become so normal. I work with schools, communities, charities, businesses and other councils across the county to encourage greater environmental responsibility. I continue to champion for stronger national action on litter and waste. My role is not simply to point at problems but to challenge them, ask questions and find solutions.
“I would like to add some perspective – many of us have the privilege of debating whether sealed food within date found in a public bin should be eaten. Others, here in the UK and around the world, face food poverty every single day and simply do not have that luxury.
“If we continue to ignore every day examples of waste, we normalise them, and nothing changes. In my book, that’s simply not good enough.”
In a statement to Stroud Times, a Stroud District Council spokesperson said: “Food disposed of in a bin is not safe to be eaten. Once it’s in a bin, it is highly likely to become contaminated by bacteria and even if the food appears intact or packaged, it can cause food poisoning or illness.
“For anyone who needs low-cost or free food, there are a number of safer and more appropriate options available including food banks, community fridges and pantries, and cost of living support from Stroud District Council.”
