Wal-Mart is America's largest grocer. In 2006, Wal-Mart’s grocery sales were $98.7 billion. This means the company controls approximately 20% of the retail grocery and consumables market. The second largest grocer, Kroger’s, makes only a little more than half of Wal-Mart’s grocery sales. [Progressive Grocer Super 50 Report, 2006; Deseret News, 10/26/2005]

Wal-Mart sets the standard for food prices, quality and policy across the grocery industry. Therefore, Wal-Mart MUST act in a socially responsible manner. That means making a commitment to safe sourcing of imported food, supporting American farmers whenever possible and informing consumers about the food they're buying.

unfit to eat: wal-mart's massive imports from china 

Wal-Mart pushes suppliers overseas, forcing them to do business where labor and parts are cheaper, but poorly regulated. Buying American and buying local would support domestic farmers and allow consumers to know where their food is coming from.

According to a report on PBS Frontline, “Is Wal-Mart Good for America?” over 80% of Wal-Mart’s 6,000 global suppliers are based in China. Professor Gary Gereffi, a professor of Sociology and Markets & Management Studies at Duke University, describes the partnership by saying, “Wal-Mart and China are a joint venture.” [PBS Frontline, 11/16/04]

		Click here to download our fact sheet on the risks of relying on imported food (PDF).

our food in the hands of a few

As a result of Wal-Mart's increasing size, the grocery industry has consolidated resulting in fewer independent grocery stores and fewer jobs to go around. [Puget Sound Business Journal, 3/31/03] Over the years, the behemoth retailer has entirely reshaped the perishables industry through these practices. [Ethics of Constrained Choice, 2005]

Before Wal-Mart’s takeover, the food industry was a competitive market where multiple suppliers, especially American family farmers, worked with wholesale markets and multiple buyers to supply perishables to American consumers. After Wal-Mart’s takeover, wholesale markets’ participation was greatly reduced, and shippers were consolidated to accommodate the high-volume, year-round, high-quality demands of the mass merchandiser. What was once a competitive market has now been reduced to a small market in the hands of a few. [Postharvest Technology of Horticultural Crops, 2001]

less oversight means contaminated food 

In late 2004, 18 million pounds of ground beef and beef products were recalled because of E. coli contamination leading 46 people in 16 states to become ill. The contaminated meat was manufactured at a factory owned by ConAgra, which is one of Wal-Mart’s lead food suppliers. [GAO report, 10/2004]

Most recently, there was a massive recall of Peter Pan and Wal-Mart’s Great Value peanut butter after it was implicated of salmonella contamination. Both brands are manufactured at a ConAgra plant. [The Tampa Tribune, 2/16/07]

wal-mart must improve its food safety record

In 2002, the United Food and Commercial Workers Local called the Pennsylvania General Assembly to institute  the Food Employees Certification Act of 1994 making it mandatory to train and certify food workers and ensure food safety in retail food stores. Wal-Mart as a leading member of the Pennsylvania Retailers Association, opposed these measures. [FoodProductionDaily, 11/25/02]

Wal-Mart, through the Food Marketing Institute, has also lobbied against legislation that would increase inspections of imported foods and increase transparency of shipments handled by food manufacturers and processors. ConAgra, one of its leading suppliers, was also a vocal opponent for this legislation for better food safety practices. [New York Times, 4/16/02]