Wal-Mart is widely known for shoddy-quality products, but as stories of product recalls, tainted food and lax oversight procedures increase, Wal-Mart's failure to take responsibility for the products it sells is becoming about more than just low prices.

Stocking Its Shelves With Dangerous Products. In recent years, Wal-Mart has been forced to remove toxic baby bibs, tainted peanut butter, contaminated catfish, flowers laced with pesticides banned in the U.S., and deadly pet food from its shelves. In some cases, Wal-Mart reluctantly removed these items after mounting pressure from government officials, but in other cases the company refused to take action at all. In several instances, miscommunications within the company meant recalled items stayed on Wal-Mart's shelves for weeks.

Evading Oversight. To maximize its profit, Wal-Mart has driven suppliers and production abroad, where regulations are lax and inspections are scarce. Once the haphazardly-produced items find their way to the U.S., Wal-Mart  makes little effort to ensure their safety.

Flawed Inspection Methods. Wal-Mart's partnership with "Consumer Testing Laboratories" has raised doubts among consumer rights protectionists. CTL's dependence on its contract with Wal-Mart raises questions of independence, while lack of transparency makes investigations difficult.

Lobbying Against Inspections and Safety Measures. Wal-Mart's lobbyists have fought against several measures that would improve the quality and safety of consumer products. The company openly opposes country of origin labeling (COOL), which would allow consumers to better know where their food comes from, and has lobbied against several port safety measures which would have improved import inspections.

Diluting the Reliability of Brands. As Wal-Mart drives suppliers to cut costs in production lines, even nationally-recognized brands sometimes create products "Made for Wal-Mart." The retailer even sells some products designed to scarily resemble recognizable brands, a practices which has resulted in numerous copyright infringement suits. Wal-Mart’s business practices dilute the reliability of brands that have actually make the effort to prove themselves trustworthy to consumers.

Wal-Mart Watch on Consumer Rights
		Wal-Mart Watch In Depth: Eat At Your Own Risk What lies behind the smiley face in Wal-Mart's grocery aisle? Wal-Mart markets itself as an all-American, family-friendly grocer, but the truth behind the marketing is very different. Imported from countries with scant safety regulations, frequently-recalled and ineffectively regulated, the food for sale at Wal-Mart stores poses a threat to consumers everywhere.
		Importing Danger How Wal-Mart's Massive Imports From China Threaten America's Food Supply