Why Whole Foods Deliberately Leaves Some Shelves Empty

Whole Foods' corporate office has started requiring stores to leave shelves empty when they run out of products as part of its new inventory management system called order-to-shelf, or OTS. According to Business Insider, Whole Foods defends the practice, saying it helps ensure out-of-stock items will get reordered. But employees say it makes stores look sloppy and empty. One former employee said of OTS, "The inefficiency was appalling, and the blow to our professionalism demoralizing."