The Walmart Effect
www.theatlantic.com
New research suggests that the company makes the communities it operates in poorer—even taking into account its famous low prices.

Summary

Two studies reveal that Walmart’s entry into communities lowers household incomes by 6% over 10 years and increases poverty by 8%, even when accounting for cost savings.

Its practices, such as undercutting competitors, suppressing wages, and squeezing suppliers, harm local economies by reducing employment and forcing smaller businesses to close.

Walmart’s “monopsony power” enables it to pay lower wages and dominate suppliers, compounding these effects.

The findings challenge the idea that low prices alone benefit communities, emphasizing long-term economic harm.

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Non-paywall link

  • MehBlah@lemmy.worldEnglish
    421·
    2 days ago

    I was buying camping equipment from walmart. They were out of some of my supplies and a new tent I wanted. I ordered alternative items from a online store and they were so much higher quality than the ones at walmart. Walmart squeezes its suppliers so much you end up with items that are more cheaply made. I’ve tested this on several different items and have discovered that walmart sources many of their brands straight from china. You can buy the same cheap shit from temu.

    • ByteOnBikes@slrpnk.net
      48·
      2 days ago

      Theres literally documentaries from 2010 about manufacturers who make a “Walmart version” because Walmart demands these factories make them at a specific price.

      Like in one documentary, the same toaster from Target and Walmart, the Walmart one had different cheaper parts inside. TVs, furniture, lamps. Even the plastic storage containers like totes and Tupperware had “Walmart” versions that were real flimsy.

      • Duamerthrax@lemmy.world
        21·
        2 days ago

        Snapper Mowers actually pulled from Walmart in 2006 because they wanted to focus high quality products rather then moving quantity.

        Selling Snapper lawn mowers at Wal-Mart wasn’t just incompatible with Snapper’s future – Wier thought it was hazardous to Snapper’s health. Snapper is known in the outdoor-equipment business not for huge volume but for quality, reliability, durability. A well-maintained Snapper lawn mower will last decades; many customers buy the mowers as adults because their fathers used them when they were kids. But Snapper lawn mowers are not cheap, any more than a Viking range is cheap. The value isn’t in the price, it’s in the performance and the longevity.

        Later in 2013, Briggs & Stratton decided to start selling Snapper in Walmarts again. 2014, Briggs & Stratton closed a Snapper plant. They then had to restructure and other corporate BS, so fuck around and find out. Publicly traded company garbage.

        • __nobodynowhere@startrek.websiteEnglish
          3·
          2 days ago

          That’s why you operate multiple brands. You’ve got your Walmart brand and your decent brand and your overpriced luxury brand all pumped out of the same overseas factory

          • Duamerthrax@lemmy.world
            4·
            2 days ago

            Isn’t that the logic behind what happened to Breyers Ice Cream. It started as a high end ice cream, but got bought Unilever, which then reduced the cream to the point that it can no longer be called Ice Cream.