Exclusive: Jonathan Rees Reviews “The Wal-Mart Effect”

It’s good that people are finally talking about the hidden cost behind Wal-Mart’s low prices.  Too often these costs outweigh the “right” to cheap stuff; the cheap stuff that apologists often cite on this blog.

The personal cost of the Wal-Mart buisness model can be found in boarded up downtowns, polluted skies and rivers, and sweatshops around the globe.

Ten billions dollars in profit last year, little in return to the communities that Wal-Mart exploits...shame on you H. Lee Scott.

People need to worry about their country more than their money.

Too many people look at a loaf of bread 3 cents cheaper as being more relevant.

These are the same individuals that drive an old car and live in the projects. They can’t see the forest for the trees.

Maybe someday, America will look to keep “Americans working by purchasing only American products.”

Walmart gives shoppers great prices.  They do not take advantage of shoppers the way Krogers and Safeway do.  I don’t know why unions don’t do something about the prices that Kroger and Safeway charge.

WalMart replaces decent paying jobs with benefits in the community with low wage, meagre benefit jobs at WalMart.  Then they force their suppliers to do the same thing in order to bring the price of goods down to where WalMart wants them to be.  The technical term is “race to the bottom”.  America was better off before WalMart started that race here in America. 

Kroger’s produce section is soooo much better than WalMart’s.  Same for its bakery, fresh fish, and milk departments.  I don’t trust WalMart brand milk at all.  In fact, I would never buy WalMart brand anything, because I know they are unwilling to spend the money to make sure that the product is safe for consumption.

Yeah to Maryland for pushing back against WalMart’s policy of dumping its health insurance cost onto the state government.!

Since Walmart opened their store in my area we have more jobs , cheaper prices , better quality products and a great neighbor. The price gougers and out of control labor unions finally have some competition. By the way I am a union member myself....

SHAME ON YOU JOHN IN BUFFALO.  ARE YOU SURE YOURE NOT A SCAB???????

Dee Dee in Atlanta
You are absolutely correct about the quality of Wal-Mart’s foods compared to other supermarkets. Wal-Mart purchases produce that is much cheaper and with less quality. Kroger and other fine supermarkets purchase a much higher grade of produce and pay more for it, so they have to charge more. The apples at Wal-Mart at times look like they have already fallen off the trees and someone gathered them. Kroger, Publix, and other fine supermarkets would refuse delivery of the produce Wal-Mart sells. And for Wal-Mart’s milk, they are so cheap they are using white jugs again. This jug allows light through and destroys an important B-Vitamin that is good for you. So Wal-Mart does not care about their customers, only getting their money. And for Wal-Mart’s meat, they have this toxic waste trucked in from across the country already cut and wrapped. It has been embalmed so it will not spoil. The normal shelf-life for ground meats is no more than two or three days in a fine supermarket. Wal-Mart’s ground meats will last for over a week.

Barbara in and John in Buffalo:

Do you two notice how you’re outnumbered here?  Why don’t you go somewhere else to rave about Wal-Mart.  I’m sure they’d love to hear your comments at www.walmart.com

Great posts everyone else!  Even though it may be “unfair to Fishman to call this an anti-Wal-Mart book,” anyone want to take bets that we won’t be seeing this book on Wal-Mart’s store shelves?

screwed up

if we didn’t post here who would have to insult?  Oh I forgot you would insult poor old bill sampson.  I really do enjoy you making a complete #%$ out of yourself.  I guess, no I know, that is what the brainwashing you get from the union does to you.  I have been around other people like you before the unions sent my jobs south of the border.

DeeDee in Atlanta, fyi...Wal-Mart’s milk is the same exact milk as the main supplier uses.  It is just put in a jug with a different label.  Do you think that Wal-Mart has their own cows out there that it gets its milk from?  I can assure you thay Great Value milk is just as safe as the “name brand” milk that is in the supermarkets…

fyi#2...Wal-Mart doesn’t make anything that has our brand label on it.  It is almost always made by a supplier that makes bigger name products.  Example...SuperTech Motor Oil is made by Pennzoil for WM....

Michel D. in Connecticut-
Good point and exactly true, In the KCMO market area WalMart uses Roberts brand as their supplier for milk.

Fred S in-
“And for Wal-Mart’s milk, they are so cheap they are using white jugs again. This jug allows light through and destroys an important B-Vitamin that is good for you. So Wal-Mart does not care about their customers, only getting their money.”

The above statement confuses me because most suppliers use the translucent jugs for milk, some suppliers use the white jugs, however I cannot see through a white jug, the translucent yes.

Fred S in -
DeeDee in Atlanta-
After watching the latest Dateline I, have to wonder how you have decided that Wal-Mart has unsafe food products.  Maybe you should check out that Dateline “Super Market Sweep” Costco and Walmart ranked the cleanest and most sanitary.  Check it out and come back.

K in south:

You say: “if we didn’t post here who would [you] have to insult?” Good point!  You make such an easy target too!

Screwed-

I don’t think that you can go to any Wal-Mart sites and post, just like everything in their stores, they censor what one can write there.

It seems as this is the only blog that allows people to actually have a conversation about how Wal-Mart is ruining America.

DeeDee wrote:  “Kroger’s produce section is soooo much better than WalMart’s.  Same for its bakery, fresh fish, and milk departments.  I don’t trust WalMart brand milk at all.  In fact, I would never buy WalMart brand anything, because I know they are unwilling to spend the money to make sure that the product is safe for consumption.”
-----------
I’m not going to pretend that I know what the quality of ‘Wal-Mart’ produce or baked goods are in Atlanta, but in my family’s experience, Wal-mart’s grocery offerings are of very good quality, every bit as favorable as other local markets such as Fareway, Hy-Vee, and Cubs Foods.  For the record, Wal-Mart probably gets their produce from the same third party vendors as other Atlanta grocers do.  Wal-Mart milk, cheese, other ‘value’ label items - as has been mentioned by others - those are made/produced by brand name companies via a private label agreement.  Like Sears actually makes their own tires?  Not. 

Some of you folks need to check yourselves on your ‘stories.’

SICKO:

What we have here is merely a case of “he said” vs. “she said.” If DeeDee didn’t build her case strongly enough that the quality of Wal-Mart’s food products and/or other items is less than what she can find elsewhere, all you did to “counter” her statement was to say: “in my family’s experience.” Opinions that’s what we have here...simply opinions.

By the way...you never did answer me SICKO.  You’re a master at trying to “re-direct” the topics here with your relentless copying and pasting.  I agree with Michael D who is fond of calling you SOS...this does stand for “same old shit” doesn’t it?

To all you people out there that think you know about food, all of you are wrong. I don’t care what you call the milk jug, but it does allow light in and destroys an important B-Vitamin that is good for the body. All you brain-washed Wal-Mart people, go back in your dairy section and look at the milk and you can see through the jug and see the milk. And for the produce, Wal-Mart buys C-Grade produce as to where Kroger, Publix and other fine supermarkets only sell A-Grade produce. Wal-Mart people, explain how your ground meats can last over a week. There are chemicals in the meat. Fine supermarkets do not inject chemicals in the meats. Also, Wal-Mart may get their produce from the same supplier, but there are various grades of produce. Go take a look at your green-leaf, romaine, and red-tip lettuce. The ends are turning brown. The quality is so poor that the nutrients in the food are degrading.

Screwed,

I addressed an opinion, with an opinion.  Please don’t confuse this with your habit, which is to pretend your opinion is fact.

Nobody can cry foul when opinion is countered by opinion, or when fact is countered by fact.  You can disagree with elements, but not appropriate address.  This is a concept you fail to understand.

Lastly, just what question of yours haven’t I addressed? I like proving you wrong, so please tell me what I supposedly missed!  I do not re-direct.  I challenge you frequently and directly.  It is you that runs away.

Sicko and Michael D
How much food and grocery experience do you have? Have you ever heard of solanaine in potatoes? Wal-Mart does not have the correct lighting over their potatoes and further causes the solanaine to intensify. Feed too much of that to a small child or an elderly person with a compromised immune system and guess what, the child or old person will likely become fatally ill.  I have forgotten more about food than any of you know. So, how much does Wal-Mart care about their customers and what they are selling. They only care about the money going into the cash register. Both of you need to wake up!!!

Fred S.

Please show with reference how the jugs such as what Wal-Mart uses allows for what you claim.

Please show with reference, that Wal-Mart buys C-Grade produce as to where Kroger, Publix and other ‘fine’ supermarkets only sell A-Grade produce.

Please show with reference, that Wal-Mart injects its ground meats with chemicals.  Please also show, that competing supermarkets don’t also do the same thing.

M Cooper in KCMO
Take a look at the shelf dates on ground beef in a fine supermarket, then look at Wal-Mart’s. I hope you would have enough sense to understand that Wal-Mart injects chemicals in the meats to make them last longer. The reason why they do that is because they do not want to pay meat cutters a decent salary to cut FRESH meat.

Sicko
You avoided the issue again because Wal-Mart has trained and brainwashed you to do just exactly that just like in the lawsuits against the company. Like I said, if you can read and see correctly, how can Wal-Mart hold ground meats for over a week and all other supermarkets only get two or three days out of theirs? And for the produce, compare the looks of yours, then go to a nice supermarket and look at theirs. A person does not have to be a Rocket Scientist to see the higher quality in the supermarket. I care what I eat and feed my family. I guess you people don’t.

Sicko
A number of companies have incorporated color into bottle resin in order to block out harmful ultraviolet (UV) light rays in dairy cases. After years of research, it has become clear that light degrades the taste and quality of milk. Some essential vitamins in milk, including vitamin A and riboflavin, begin to break down when exposed to the fluorescent UV lights often found in dairy cases. UV light also changes the flavor and fresh taste of milk.

Sicko and Michael D
How much experience do each of you have that qualifies you to be an expert on food? I understand a lot of what Fred is saying. I cut meat for Publix and nothing is injected in the meat. Ground meat in our cases were taken out after three days. Like Fred ask, how does Wal-Mart keep it over a week?

Wal-Mart sells case-ready meat. This makes use of polypropylene trays which are flushed with an 80% oxygen/ 20% carbon dioxide mixture. Meat packed in this way can have a shelf life of up to 14 days. Wal-Mart does inject a water-based solution into its meat as well to enhance color and flavor, but this is not a chemical that enhances the product’s longevity.

The information I cited can be found on beef.org, beef-mag.com, and meatscience.org.

M Cooper: RE: Milk: I’ve had WalMart’s milk before and it taste funny, off to me.  Knowing WalMart’s policies re: lower prices regardless of quality, I’ve decided to stick with Kroger milk.  Costs about the same anyways.  And, yes, I know it is anecdotal, and others have different experiences, but I can only contribute my experiences.  If my experience is the unusual and unique, then so be it; howver, talking to people in real life and reading blogs online, my opinion about WalMart milk, fresh produce, fresh meat, etc. is shared by alot of diverse individuals.

Someone in USA-
Good point, I find that case ready meat has a better flavor; I believe it may be the gasification of the meat.  I hear that case ready meat is not only safer, but more attractive because of the gasification.  It may sound silly but when I see bright red beef it makes me believe that is fresh.  Growing up on a cattle farm I do know that the freshest beef has a purplish color to it, however that color does not do the meat justice.  Anyway, great for Wal-Mart and all the others that use case ready meat, it is safer than having a meat cutter doing it in the back of the store.

I shop at my local HyVee store where I once worked for 7 years. When it comes to meats, and my store has one of the best departments of any store in the area, I get the in store packaged ground beef and steaks. I also buy Hormel Pork and HoneySuckle White Turkey products. For Chicken, it’s either Golden Plump or Country Pride. The fish is fresh from all over the country and world, flown in daily. My store sells USDA inspected Prime meats.

I may pay more for meat where I shop than I would at WM, but at least I know what I am getting. I have yet to be disappointed. For all my non-Grocery products, I order through my Amway business.

This is all very interesting and informative people, but can someone steer the discussion back to the center more---What is Wal-Mart doing to this country and the world?  The last half dozen posts or so look like they would be better suited for a discussion on the Food Channel.

Screwed
Just trying to make a point to the Wal-Martians out there. Wal-Mart sells cut-rate food and fools the public into believing theirs is the best. They don’t care about what people eat, just to sell it and make money and drive everyone out of business.

Fred S,

You have failed to properly show that Wal-Mart does in fact sell cut-rate food.  All we have is your opinion.  Since I don’t know you from Dick Butkus, you need to provide reference to back your claims.  I’ll repost, since you ignored my initial request for information:

Please show with reference how the jugs such as what Wal-Mart uses allows for what you claim.  I’m simply not going to take your word for it.

Please show with reference, that Wal-Mart buys C-Grade produce as to where Kroger, Publix and other ‘fine’ supermarkets only sell A-Grade produce.  Your claim means nothing without reference to back it up.

Please show with reference, that Wal-Mart injects its ground meats with chemicals.  Please also show, that competing supermarkets don’t also do the same thing.

This is ridiculous.  You all are debating whether Wal-Marts meat or milk is good or not.  I don’t believe that is the point of this article.  I believe the point is Is Wal-Mart exploiting companies, countries and individuals?  Are they leaving wastelands in their wake?  Are they being a responsible company?  Do they care more about the bottom line while leading the consumer to believe they have our best interest in mind?  Did you know that in the 80’s when Wal-Mart was getting off the ground they literally left ghost towns in their wake?  What is the real issue here...milk or money?

If you have Firefox and Greasemonkey, check this out:

http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/3002

It converts the prices on the walmart site into hours needed to be worked by Associates or Chinese laborers to pay for the item.

The ‘real’ issue Catherine F, is that you anti-Wal-Mart folks like to make claims about the retailer that you cannot, do not, will not back up.  It’s a matter of crediblity.  Screwed and Fred S for example make these unaccountable claims without reference.  They talk trash.  They get challenged and they re-direct or run away from the challenge.  Even you are guilty of hit and run tactics. 

Please validate your Wal-Mart in the ‘80’s claim.

Please also validate that that business model is being used today.

Catherine-

If you think that discussing Wal-Mart’s groceries misses the point of the discussion, why are you on this site? Everything on this site fails to address the big picture. Most of the criticisms of Wal-Mart I’ve read are criticisms of American capitalism, of which Wal-Mart is only one part (like selling groceries is only one aspect of Wal-Mart). Since this whole site is guilty of the same crime as this thread, I don’t see a problem with the discussion.

Sickofspin-

You’re right. Nobody backs up claims around here.

Most everything I’ve read here that bashes Walmart is bullshit.  I’ve can’t seem to find any reference to people being poisoned by Walmart potatoes.  Special lighting?  Bullshit again.  All USDA grading is voluntary.  Produce is not graded on a abc grade scale.  How long does milk set on the shelf that it actually degrades.  If you think HyVee sells USDA Prime beef, I’ve got some ocean front property in Arizona that I’m sure you will be interested in.  I’m not a Walmart fan but most of the people here that are bashing should get their facts straight.  This has been my entertainment for the night.
Don’t need to bash me because I won’t need another laugh for a week or so.  I will find it elsewhere as there are a lot of stupid people around.

Bohe in Iowa, I have yet to see “special lighting” above any potatoes I have ever purchased in my life, whether at WM or any other grocer!!!  It’s a stretch to insinuate that Wal-Mart’s potatoes will cause children to get sick or even die from eating them. 

My post is not a matter of arguing about meat and potatoes.  It’s a matter about BS claims against Wal-Mart.  If you want to bash WM, fine, but at least provide some sort of reference that can be looked at to verify that you are not FOS!!!!!

If you could read you would see that I wasn’t bashing Walmart.  I simply said that all of the Walmart bashing that is going on here is “Bullshit”.  None of the claims about bad milk. poison potatoes etc have basis.  Walmart gives people what they want or it wouldn’t be as big a company as it is.  People bash Bill Gates too.  Fact is he, like Walmart, knows how to make money.
That’s capitalism.
There is nothing wrong with making money. 

There I’ve said it.

GOODBYE

Boge
You are an absolute idiot because you do not understand anything about food handling. I have been in the supermarket business for 25 years and there are various grades of produce. Light if allowed to pass through milk containers degrades the milk. Light over potatoes will cause Solanaine to intensify. For your information, Solanaine is the potatoe’s own pesticidal defense against insects that want to eat the potato. Another point is that lighting over meat is not just your ordinary lighting because the meat loses its quality and shortens the shelf-life if the light is not correct.

Boge and Micheal
Solanine is a glycoalkaloid poison found in species of the nightshade family. It can occur naturally in the any part of the plant, including the leaves, fruit, and tubers. It is very toxic even in small quantities. Solanine has both fungicidal and pesticidal properties, and it is one of the plant’s natural defenses. When potato tubers are exposed to light, they turn green and increase glycoalkaloid production. This is a natural defense to help prevent the uncovered tuber from being eaten. The green colour is from chlorophyll, and is itself harmless. However, it is an indication that increased level of solanine and chaconine may be present.

Boge in Iowa in -
Not that is has much to do with this thread, but you are absolutely right. I along with the others shoppers choose to buy my poison potatoes, sour milk, and bad produce and meat, chose to shop there.  I also bet that I am as healthy if not more than those who shop at those “fine” supermarkets.  Something that may interest you is check out Dateline online and read about their supermarket sweep.

M Cooper in KCMO
You always miss the point. Dateline news crews know little to nothing about food science. I saw some packages of meat in a Wal-Mart the other day and the packages were about to explode with internal pressure. Look at meats in any other store and you will not see that happening. Some of you out there say that Wal-Mart fills the container with 80% O2, and 20% CO2 for the preservation of meat. Meat stays fresh longer in vacuum pack.

Mary in North Carolina-
I am starting to think that you may be related to screwed.  Maybe you should check out what Dateline had to say before commenting on what I had to say, you have totally missed the boat.  Just a hint Dateline’s study had nothing to do with “food science”.

Mary in North Carolina-
Just out of curiosity which dictionary did you quote? You mention light over potatoes, which supermarket sells their potatoes in a closet?  I also believe that it is the intense ultraviolet rays that are emitted from the sun that cause the buildup.  Please elaborate how grocery stores can sell potatoes safely.

I have not shopped at Wal Mart and never will, even when I worked there and got a discount

No policital or there are bad for Amercian, I am just old enough to know you get what you pay for.

I can not buy Meat that is so red and in a tray with some kind or gas injected in it that it blows up.

The produce and Vegetable look like they are ready to spoil
the Clothes after a few washing look like rags, the brand name stuff is made just for Wal-Mart and is inferior made
I worked at the Service Desk and seen all the junk that comes back.

The only good deals or what they get a Special Buy in.

How can any one think that if you save $20 on something and have to replace it 3 times, then buying the same thing once for $40. and not having to re-place it saves Money

Mary-

You are correct. Vacuum packed food lasts approximately twice as long as Wal-Mart’s case ready meat. It also costs significantly more to package meat in this way. Meat doesn’t stay on the shelves long enough to merit that sort of packing. Besides, what’s the point of bringing up vacuum packing? It is not employed by any of the so-called fine supermarkets that cut their meat in the back.

Guest-

If you really did work at the service desk, you would know that Wal-Mart will take back almost anything. Most of the stuff that is returned is not because the product is inferior. Most things that are returned fit into one of the following categories: something the customer used and decided to return when finished; something the customer changed their mind on; something the customer abused and broke; something on which the warranty has long since expired; and stolen merchandise. A very small percentage of merchandise returned is genuinely defective, and, when it is, I have never seen the refund or exchange refused with a receipt, and very seldom have I seen an exchange refused without a receipt. Only customers very obviously in the wrong are turned away. Wal-Mart’s motto on returns is satisfaction guaranteed, and they literally bend over backwards for the customer to enforce it.

Many products Wal-Mart sells are identical to other retailers. On those that aren’t, like clothing, I don’t find that there is a huge gap in quality. Wal-Mart’s clothes tend to wear out a little faster, but not so fast that I need to buy at the 3:1 ratio you suggest. I’d say a much more accurate estimate would be 4:3. I’m still saving a lot of money.

The constant referrals to the Dateline report are a red herring. The Dateline report had to do with a random sampling of overall cleanliness and safety in nationwide grocery stores. Costco was #1, if I remember correctly, and its CEO was the only one to have the guts to appear on camera and talk about issues. Interesting that he’s the leader of a company which actually pays their workers a living wage. I enjoy going to Costco in part because the workers seem happier - not just than those working at Wal-Mart, but than those at Kroger’s. HEB workers seem generally pleased, though.

Also very convenient that the person referring to the Dateline report ignores the undercover footage of the Wal-Mart which had birds nesting inside the store, with clerks vaguely stating, “Oh yeah, you’ll see the birds. They kind of hang out in here.” And that’s not a health violation?

Anyway, the sampling was based on reports from 2004. Why is this a red herring? Because Wal-Mart’s grocery operation is a very recent development - run more tightly than other aspects of the business. Additionally, since the grocery operations are new and were fewer in number in 2004, it’s less likely for Wal-Marts to appear in the random pooling of health violation reports Dateline collected. 

I do not work in a grocery store, or belong to a union, but I do agree that the produce sold at Wal-Mart is revolting.

Sibstar-

First, although I didn’t see that report, I don’t see the validity of your red herring claim. Where are you getting that Wal-Mart’s grocery operations were “new and fewer in number in 2004”? Are you saying that Wal-Mart didn’t sell groceries until sometime this millenium? That’s false, so I doubt that’s what you are saying. So, what are you trying to tell us?

Second, it’s not exactly fair to compare workers at Costco to workers at Wal-Mart. Costco is wholesale, not retail. The equivalent comparison is with Sam’s. Sam’s pays hourly workers significantly more than Wal-Mart. I’m not sure what Costco pays, but I’m sure Sam’s wages are comparable (as are Wal-Mart’s to the rest of the retail sector.)

Since the illegitimate comparison between employment at Costco and Walmart has been made, I will explore it further anyway. Working in a warehouse is likely to entail more physical labor than at Wal-Mart, even in the cashier position (though I see they have cashier assistants.) After skimming jobs at Costco’s website, it seems they are slightly more selective in terms of education and experience requirements than Wal-Mart is in practice. If that is indeed the case, then their employees deserve higher wages.

Wal-Mart critics on this site forget that anyone off the street can stock shelves, people greet, and probably cashier. Anyone can work at Wal-Mart. Thus, Wal-Mart hires just about anyone. Do I agree with this practice? No. However, I have interviewed enough prospective cashiers, cartpushers, and greeters to know that many of the applicants for these jobs come from the bottom of the barrel (this is not to say they all are, as some have a “real job” already and many are in college). You need workers, so you pick the best available until you meet your needs. Some of them are not quality workers. That explains both Wal-Mart’s high turnover and any negative attitudes you may find in associates (which is fairly rare).

I’m sure someone is going to tell me that raising wages would improve the quality of the applicants. It’s possible. However, this interpretation suggests that we deprive all of those other, less-skilled laborers you WMWers worry about so much of jobs. Don’t you guys think it’s better that these people work at Wal-Mart than nowhere at all? Personally, I think that raising wages would not increase the quality of the labor pool enough to make a difference. Then we would be paying low-quality workers more than they are worth. This will not improve problems related to turnover and unfriendliness, as, contrary to popular opinion on this site, bad workers are the result of poor breeding and genetics, not simply wages. These workers will see it as a chance to exploit Wal-Mart’s generosity rather than a reward for quality work.

Sibstar in Texas-
The comment regarding the birds was not that they “nest”.  Yes it was mentioned that they do enter the store, however I did not hear that they nest. Please explain the “red herring” you were referring to, and how many new grocery units opened up in a one year time period.  As far as the grocery business being a “recent development” for Wal-Mart it has been 18 years since they began selling groceries.  What I find interesting is in 18 years of selling inferior produce and meat is that they have become the number one grocer in the country.  I would love to hear your spin on how that has happened.  I do believe that in this country the majority wins the vote and they have and still do vote for Wal-Mart.

Oh, by the way you do not remember correctly, I remember Costco ranking third for violations, that would be below Wal-Mart.WalMart was tied with Save A Lot for second fewest violations Please get your facts straight before responding to my statements.  Otherwise you just appear to be a fool.

To Someone in the USa

I do not like to be called a liar, what gives you the right to say if I did work at the Service Desk? It was 2967, one of the ASS, Managers they even agreeded if we had better quality we would not have all the returns, I am not talking about the people that come in the first of the month and return it on the 15th if you did any work on the Service Desk.
you would know what I mean

I went to work at Wal-Mart just because I thought it would be fun, my Husband and I are retired and have a good income and I have Health Insurance

Yes I know Wal-Mart takes any thing back I learned that after one day of working the Desk.

The people that I work with at Wal-Mart I would have never been exposed to them in my life, they do not travel in my world, but most of them are truly the working poor, when I worked there most of them was not so much bitching about the pay as the lack of respect Wal-Mart has for its Associates, I do not know what your job is, but you will climb the ladder since you have been brainwashed that you are better then these people that you hire.

By the way my Husband and I had a very succesfull business we took one of these bottom of the barrell that you
so nicely put gave him a job, showed him the way to Education he is now a President of a large Bank here, nice to know people in high places instead of Wal-Mart’s saying in low places

I do not know, but I would bet the Farm you are from Bentonville or a young person that just got a DM.

the economy is lower in some areas of this country than others, and even college educated people like myself are forced to work low paying jobs because of their location and the general lack of positions out there. Walmart was once considered a blessing by me, inexpensive one-stop shopping.  After travelling to three third-world countries and studying economic impact (negative and positive, in some cases) I became more aware of the impact low wages have.  I consciously consider where a product came from before purchasing, although it is not always an easy task.  Local farmers, local jewelers, etc have made this easier, though at a higher price financially. And so there are some things that I must save for, or in some cases, go without. If people want to keep shopping at Walmart, and if Walmart continues popping up in everytown, then so be it; as long as they, the consumer and company can promise not to run out the small businesses that cannot compete with lower quality lower cost merchandise. That the landscape will not in ten years be scattered with empty “big box” when Walmart decides to build bigger down the road. That ethically conscious people like myself will still have a choice in where to buy their goods.

Walmart is looking at a property near a river, away from the downtown area, in my hometown.  I would appreciate any information or links on how to sway the outcome.

thank you

This has nothing to do with grocerys. You need to know you enter Wal-mart at your own risk. Wal-mart does not carry med-pay insurance, liability only. I know this for a fact, because i was injured at Wal-mart by a reckless employee. If you would like your medical bills paid you have to file a law suite against them. Oh by the way when I mentioned it to the store manager, his reponse was (they have a lot to do.)

Rutland, what the hell are you talking about????

Fred S. - I have been in over twenty different retailers/grocers that sell potatoes in the last three weeks.  I have found ZERO that sell potatoes in the dark or with any special lighting above them. 

Some of the stores visited were Wal-Mart SuperCenter, Stop and Shop, Big Y, McQuades Marketplace, Starrwood Market, Shaws Supermarket, Market Basket, PriceChopper, ShopRite, Beit Brothers, A & P, Kroger, Albertson’s, Randall’s, Winn Dixie, Fiesta, Sack and Save, Piggly Wiggly, Food Lion, HEB, and SuperTarget to name a few.  I also visited Sam’s Club and BJ’s Wholesale. 

Yes, the solanaine toxin can be found in potatoes as well as tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant.  I have NEVER seen any ofthem sold in a closet or in a light-eliminating box. 

Where exactly can I find potatoes that are sold in a “safe” manner?  I would hate to poison my family any further than I already have.......

And just exactly how are bulk potatoes sold in EVERY market on the planet?  Yup, out in the open.....

To Michel D. in Connecticut…

Hey, do you know the difference between human antibiotics and animal antibiotics?  I know because I’ve worked in the plants.  The difference is that the pills that go to the animals are the pills that fall on the floor. (That’s a fact). 

The same thing is true about Penzoil (or anyone else’s) motor oil.  I’ve worked THERE too.  There are different grades and different qualities all at the same plant.  If you think you are getting the “same” Penzoil oil at Walmart as you do at a quality auto parts store, then you really are a chump.

People like you, who offer lame information as if it were the final say so, are the reason why this country is going down the crapper. Go ahead and keep voting for the “God, Guns and Gays” platform while these corporate types continue to rob you blind.

Idiot!!!

gwyz-

“People like you, who offer lame information as if it were the final say so, are the reason why this country is going down the crapper.”

I think you summed yourself up pretty well in that statement. Good job!

“Idiot!!!”

...oh yeah! Nice website.

Now we have different grades of motor oil in the same bottle with the same UPC barcode???  I doubt it.....That would be illegal for Pennzoil to do…

Speaking of idiots...stop making crap up....if it’s true, provide me a source for research…

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I just came here to see if anyone else had my opinion of companies like Wal-Mart. I don’t know ( or really care ) about the issue of whether their food is as good as at other retailers because in my opinion that is a matter of personal preference. After reading all of the comments on the site, I found one in particular that really left me wondering where our society is headed.

John in Buffalo,
Get your head out of your butt. You brag about being a union employee, but you feel that because you save a few dollars at Wal-Mart, you can turn your back on your union brothers. I myself am not a union member, but my employer feels that it is in his and my interest to give me competitive wages and benefits. I realize that this is only because the unions exist, and they would steal the majority of his good employees if he didn’t pay well. Wal-Mart, however, sees its employees as disposable and uses all legal means to keep their wages and benefits to a minimum. It is for this reason that I will NEVER patronize a business such as Wal-Mart. If enough people like you continue to do this, we can only look forward to our country being a two class society, tha haves and the have-nots......
STOP THE INSANITY!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok I am in middle school and my homeroom is doing a play about all of the harmfull things that walmart does to the comunity so if you have ideas sugestions or information than please email or post thanks
Hannah 7th grade

For everybody thinks produce & meat is the same. iwork grocery chain runs under 2 different names high end store & alow end store . Even do we supply both stores out of one warehouse . there is differnce quality on produce &some;meats .I know some of u are not going to believe me .. but i have been with this company for 10 years .Our lower end store is one of WM biggest competors

Before I married my current husband, changed my last name, and moved out of the state of Iowa, I worked at the Dubuque, Iowa Wal-Mart and the Manchester, Iowa Wal-Mart. Despite my 20+ years of management experience in department stores & supermarkets, the company refused to hire me into a management experience because they tried to claim that I didn’t have enough management experience. What a crock of crap! Also, the company insisted that I put my job BEFORE my family --- it doesn’t matter how badly I need the extra income --- THAT IS NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN. I don’t need an extra income that badly. I’ll starve to death before I EVER put my job BEFORE my family (seriously). Even after my one year anniversary working for Wal-Mart, and did 100 times more work then my male co-workers who were allowed to sit on their butts doing nothing (seriously), I was paid $1.00 an hour less than the male employees who were worked for Wal-Mart for only one month. (Several of them showed me their pay stubs after bragging to me about it --- I didn’t believe they were telling me the truth until they showed me their pay stubs --- they were telling me the truth!) I’ve been reading lately how Costco is taking over the market and are becoming real serious competition for Wal-Marts profits .... Way to Go, Costco .... I honestly hope Costco will eventually bury Wal-Mart (I seriously believe that Costco will eventually succeed in this.)

To concerned citizen in upstate new york:

I came across this page that you might be interested in for stopping a Wal-Mart from coming to your town.

http://www.sprawl-busters.com/

Good luck and godspeed!

To Mary:

I hope you have joined the class-action lawsuit that women are filing against Mal-Wart.  No matter what happens with this lawsuit, I know that karma will come back to bite these f***ers in the ass sooner or later.  As for Costco, I heard they have their own sex discrimination stuff to work on so you might not want to cheer them on just yet.  But I know the feeling of wanting to see someone else crushed.  I hope you’ve found a better employer that treats you right:)

Arkansas, Walmart’s home state, is well-known for its provincial attitude toward outsiders. Walmart (and a couple of well-known families) essentially run the state (and, I have to say, that they do a pretty good job on most matters). But the state government and the communities are very, very negative to outsiders and want to keep others out or at least show an unwelcoming attitude toward outsiders.

However, when Walmart tries to move into your community and you want to put some restrictions or conditions on the move or just to enforce your zoning laws, restrictive covenants, and municipal ordinances, Walmart cries “foul” and claims you are anti-free market, or anti-capitalist, or socialist, or communist or anti-American.

Well, what is good for the goose is good for the gander. If Walmart’s Arkansas is provincial and unwelcoming toward “outsiders”, why shouldn’t your community be the same way toward Wal-mart.

In 2005, a Korean who graduated from an Arkansas law school in Little Rock was told he was “NOT ELIGIBLE” to take the Arkansas bar exam because he was from Korea. This is familiar.

Interestingly enough, he was told this and he and his family had to leave the state at the same time Arkansas was trying to attract a new Hino Truck plant to Crittenden County, Arkansas. (Hino is a division of Toyota Motor Company of Japan). The Korean, who was an attorney in Korea, was interested in having a practice that helped Asian companies set up operations in the U.S. and a practice that recruited Asian companies to move the the U.S. (including Arkansas). So Arkansas is still trying to have it both ways. Keep out the foreigners who are professionals, but try to get the foreign companies with good jobs to move to Arkansas.

(Hino / Toyota has not made a final decision on its possible move to Crittenden Countyl. You may want to drop them a line.)

Also, according to an interview on a local radio program with a husband, his company transferred him from Louisiana to Arkansas.  Then his wife, a registered nurse, was unable to get licensed in Arkansas. She appeared before the nursing board and was asked about her views on homosexuality. She said that she was opposed to homosexuality on religious grounds. She was then told that, because of those views, she would not be allowed to practice nursing in Arkansas. (I happen to support gay rights and gay unions, but I don’t know why any person’s private religious views on this subject, one way or the other, should disqualify the person from getting a professional license.)

Wal-mart’s Arkansas is trying to get Toyota / Hino to build a plant in Crittenden County, Ark. They want those good jobs with good benefits. But WM is trying to export bad jobs to your community. Where will Walmart workers get their health care benefits? From your tax dollars. Essentially, Walmart is on welfare when it hires its first hourly worker in your community and you foot the bill. A good portion of its profits come from dumping the “externalities” on the communities where it locates its stores.  Other profits come from dumping the “externalities” on the communities where its suppliers have their operations.

Perhaps you should contact Toyota / Hino.  Japanese companies have their own faults, but they have come a long way in recognizing that taking care of the “externalities” are a cost of doing business and that “profit” from dumping the “externalities” is bad economics, anti-free market and unethical.

JAJBrown@gmail.com

I can’t help but address some of the comments that I have seen. It appears that because Wal-Mart is the largest Company in the world they are an easy target. Wal-Mart is not the only Company out there that pays lousy wages, offers no benefits, fights off Unions, allows the taxpayers to subsidize them with tax credits. Are you people crazy. Look at all the subsidies the Federal and State Government gives to large corporations. You can’t tell me that when the Japanese automakers get ready to make a decision on where to open a factory they are not considering the tax breaks given. Also, look how the Federal Government has bailed out the Companies in the past costing tax payers billions of dollars (Chrysler, the Savings and Loans, the airline industry). All you people can do is criticize Wal-Mart. I have worked in retail (as a clerk and management) for other Companies and they are all the same. How many of you criticizing Wal-Mart have ever worked retail. The hours are bad, the wages are bad, the work is bad, the benefits are horrible but you are not criticizing Kmart, Sears, CVS, Kohls etc. Do you really think that because Wal-Mart is bigger than these other retailers they need to pay more and offer better benefits. Wal-Mart passes along savings to the consumers, the American people. If people were so unhappy working there they would leave, but that doesn’t seem to be happening. Also, if your unhappy with Wal-Mart don’t shop there, go to your local grocer, card store, pharmacy, hardware store and give them your money. But stop looking to blame Wal-Mart for America’s and the World’s problems. They are a business operating in a free market. Deal with it. By the way I did read the Wal-Mart Effect and feel that Wal-Mart should carry it. It is educational and sheds a different light on the Company and their impact on us all.

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Dave,

When my 3-year-old gets into trouble, he points behind me and says, “Look.  A Squirrel.”

Distracting is not a credible way of dealing with Wal Mart’s problems.  It is a cop out.

RE:  If you don’t like Walmart, don’t shop there.  Are you one of those guys who used to say, “America.  Love it or leave it.” The implication was that anyone who disagreed with the speaker was unpatriotic.

Listen.  This is our country, just as much (if not more so) than it is Walmart’s country.  We all have a right to be here.  And, as Americans, we have a right to demand that Walmart (which has a lot of loyalties outside America, by the way) straighten up its act.  It is not excuse that some other kid has a dirty room, you know.

So cut of your whining for Walmart.  The boys in Bentonville aren’t going to pat you on the head, give you an icream cone and say What a Good Boy Are You.”

John,

You seem to be missing the whole point. What do you mean straighten out its act. Oh do you mean pay people more money, give better benefits, stop asking the manufacturers to provide better products at a better price. Get with it. Have you read the book. Wal-Mart is good for America. Beleive it or not I am not a Wal-Mart shopper. I choose to drive elsewhere for my products. The big box stores are not places I like to shop. I speak with my wallet.

You don’t seem to be addressing any comments about how these other industries have cost taxpayers billions of dollars in welfare, where is your website crying about them.

Have you ever had a retail job, unless you have stop criticizing. You buy into all the hype that the press comes up with about big bad Wal-Mart. To single out one Company when there are hundreds out there that do the same thing is crazy. Do you blog on websites every time an oil tanker springs a leak and pollutes our environment, or a new factory opens that pollutes our air. Where is your blog about the US Government wanting to destroy the Alaskan Wildersness. Wal-Mart has been around for forty years and have become successful based on their business model, where was this site when they first started out. Nothing has changed except their size.

I don’t want Wal-Mart to make decisions in my life and I choose not to let them, what about you. I don’t expect Wal-Mart to clean up America or the World. Countries have laws on how employees are treated (have you heard of minimum wage) alot of Companies still pay it. Let the laws regulate Wal-Mart and the consumer speak.

I think all of you would benefit from watching a film created by Frontline titled “Is Walmart good for America?” For many of you, it will open your eyes to the true Walmart, not just the low prices and smiling faces that greet you at the door. Enjoy

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Wal Mart is now well established in Canada with around 200 stores.  In Jonquiere, 300 miles north from Montreal (Quebec), the staff have unionized the store. Wal-Mart decided to shut down the store giving the reason that Jonquiere store was not profitable. A year after, Wal-Mart has never provided the financial results for that store.  They will have to close more because this has not finished yet

When they came in Canada, they did not expect that this country has a strong socialist values and a pro-union legacy.
Wal-Mart is the image of the brutal american capitalism.  Your elite are always pomping your ego and your pride to give them rights to invade, to exploit you americans, and take over the World.  Stop being brain washing by the American dream and stop overestimating the qualities of people like Bill Gates. 

KEEP GOING TO HELP YOUR PEOPLE IN NEW ORLEANS

I hope our small country will be able to kick out Wal-Mart from Canada and also pull out our soldiers from Afganistan… An another mess created by your shameless administration wich seing terrorists everywhere. 

Proud Canadian

Wal Mart needs a union in every country but employees at walmart lack the education and intelligence to see it. only a fool works at wal mart.

The only reason the Union wants to be in Wal-Mart is to collect the dues. Wages and benefits are already provided at comparable rates to other retailers, there is no other reason for the Unions to infiltrate Wal-Mart.

Everyone who has half a brain and reads any type of newspaper knows that Union membership is down, and with the significant layoffs in the automotive industry and airline industry they need to find a revenue stream somewhere.

When are the Unions going to wake-up and see that in order for the United States to compete in a Global Economy, concessions will need to be made. How many more manufacturing jobs do we need to lose before the Union bosses realize that enough is enough.

I would also like to comment to the people who have criticized the leaders of huge corporations making ghastly salaries. Have you checked out the pay received by Union leaders. When you go on strike they still receive their huge salaries. Also, if you lose your jobs, they are still employed by the Union. Unions have served their purpose in society 30 years ago. Times have changed but they haven’t. Hey Union leaders go find other ways to pad your pockets.

Let’s just get to the facts people...I will give the facts as a leader for both an independent and company man.  Food Standard....Wal-Mart’s food expectations are twice that of any of their counterparts.  More procedures and practices that anyone else.  Walk in another store and ask yourself....Did someone bleach this chicken to make it last longer...or what did they put in this sandwich spread or hamburger?  On the opposite side...The want 30 million of this item, but will only pay $3.00 each for that item, instead of $5.  What do you do?  Instead of forming an opinion because you have been brainwashed by one side or the other, wht not find out the true FACTS.  Don’t believe what you see written without asking yourself is this Legit

Each Walmart store changes it’s labor practices to benefit it’s own store.  And most of those ‘labor practices’ are illegal.  Walmart’s ‘policies’ and ‘labor laws’ are two different entities.  If Walmart cannot bend the labor laws to the point of profitting it’s stores, then it will break the law completely.

I work at Walmart.  I think that everyone who who is bashing the “Walmart bashers” just quite don’t get the point in this whole matter.  What they have done, and they are not the only ones who do this.....is control the market in everything.  No one ever said it was bad to make money.  But what they have done, is piggyback the poor wage earner, and rode it to the top.  Now they have a stranglehold on everything practically.  Competition, what is it?  It unfortunately is becoming the “social norm”, so to speak to not have it any more.  This is becoming prevalent unfortunately in our society.  With all the “pro Walmarters” out their, they don’t realize that they were slowly, and now rapidly turning our society into a no competition society.  It is no longer a race to who gets to the lower price, but it now becomes a “take it or leave it society”.  Competition always has and always will be the best in our society.  But Walmart, and by duping people into their so called “cheap prices”, which may I add really aren’t, and believe me, I know because I work there, are beginning to turn this country into a “take it or leave it society”.  One other question pro Walmarters, when they knock out everything in your town like they have mine, who really is the lowest price?  Naturally they can undercut everyone for awhile, but after everything, and we used to have 5 grocery stores in our city,is knocked out, how do you really know what is the lowest price?

One more thing here....we are, and this is the fault of all the politicians, and us, we are being sold out to really big corporations, not just big, but the really big corporations.  That is why everyone is bashing Walmart, after all, when do they say enough work...and invest into their help?

i work for a union shop. i pay 42.00 dls a month for union dues. that covers all of my medi. benifits. i only have a 10.00dls copay for dental ,medical ,and vision how much do u think walmart emploies pay for theres . o yeah thats for my whole family which is 2 adults and 4 children

I am not out to have a union, create a union, or join a union.  I’d rather have no part of a union, HOWEVER, if Walmart treated it’s employees decently, there wouldn’t be a question about a union.  I am a full-time employee - I am scheduled for less than 30 hours per week.  I was always under the impression that full-time was about 40 hours a week.  Health care?  Laughing my butt off.  Decent hours - that’s almost as present as health care, and let’s not even discuss decent or fair pay.  I must give Walmart some credit though - if it wasn’t for them I would not have learned how to multi-task, or how to budget a lack of money.

After listening to Mr.Fishman speak on Booktv/CSPAN2, my wife and I will have a serious discussion about where we shop

As anyone who lifts weights knows , protein is the essential nutrient required for massive gains. It is very essential.
I have quit buying 100% liquid eggwhites at Walmart. I can with honesty say there is something not right here.
I dare anyone to compare egg whites the way I have and tell me otherwise.
This crap is watered down !  I have gone to Fry’s (Kroger) Safeway , Bashas , Food City and others and bought this stuff. And I swear it is a totally different deal. Practically see through from Walmart. I do not feel like I am paying for 100% but rather a watered down 50% by comparison to the others. I dare anyone to test this . It is a obvious rip off. I also find it very interesting how only one egg white product is available at Walmart. 4 at Fry’s and 3 brands at safeway.
Maybe the supplier of egg whites to walmart was put in the back room and whacked around a little and forced to come down on the price !!  Huh?  So they just fought back!!

Is it not true that the USFDA does not require water to be on the ingredients list as long as it is not altered, such as carbonated or colored or sweetened?

I think you all have too much time on your hands. Go do something creative like make a table out of cards or mow a lawn or something.

http://data.opi.state.mt.us/bills/mca/80/3/80-3-311.htm

There are produce grades. Dumbass.

your blog is the best

Interesting

i’m glad that people know that wal-mart is fucked up.

wal-mart probably doesn’t care about the quality of their produce, milk, and meat...but really, there is a bigger picture.

the way this country exploits animals, there is no quality meat or milk. every factory farm injects the meat with hormones which people then eat. cure for cancer, stop eating meat...hmmm…

milk, come on guys. females only produce milk when they’re pregnant. cows in dairy farms are pregnant all the fucking time. and theyre constantly being milked by machines. their udders become swollen and infected, and that puss goes straight into that milk youre so concerned about.

research a bit about veganism...you’ll start to worry about a lot more than the milk wal-mart shelves.

it seems like a huge contradiction to care about one problem in society while totally embracing other HUGE issues. wal-mart is just as big a problem as the meat industry. let’s start taking responsiblity!!!!!

www.vegansociety.com
www.vegan-info.com
www.peta2.org
www.americanapparel.net
www.adbusters.org

be a conscious consumer, FOR EVERYTHING YOU CONSUME!!!!