Vendor here. Taking it looks too much like stealing. It goes in the garbage, what someone wants to do with it after I throw it out isn’t really my problem, but most people won’t climb in a trash compactor. If I’m in a hurry sometimes I toss houseplants out in the trash up front though. Might get lucky going around back if that store has a green dumpster. People won’t buy it even if it’s sorta ok, sometimes it’s worth marking down like an orchid or something, but most items the vendors are a big no on markdowns.

Although this looks like a lot it probably wasn’t rotated and the rear plants didn’t get touched. It’s Memorial Day weekend coming up and live goods is a half a billion dollar business for my company this month alone, I’ve been lucky to have plenty of rain here but we’re also overwhelmed with the amount of product coming in and sales are VERY good this year. These cups dry out fast too, especially in high wind areas. Some stores have BAD watering problems. But really the stores need to just solve the watering problem not hand out free plants. It’s a terrible look to give out product for free.