Look, Walmart is certainly the home of low prices, but some of its unfortunate unethical practices — like a reliance on outsourced, slave labor or gender discrimination — keeps a lot of conscious shoppers from "watching for falling prices."
Yet, what if that all changed? What if, like major companies who realize that their power can be used for, you know, good, started sending their capital into local markets? At the National Retail Federation’s 2013 Big Show, Walmart president Bill Simon made an awfully large promise: “Today," he said, "We will make a commitment to add an additional $50 billion in made-in-America goods over the next 10 years.”
The idea of heading to Walmart to find nationally produced goods feels counterintuitive, but perhaps it shouldn't. Placing the onus on larger, influential corporations to begin to source responsibly is a crucial way to both influence the economy and support local production. However, this can be a way of removing the stigma of a whole lotta bad press and some serious missteps. Could this be the start of a new, more shoppable Walmart? (WWD)
Photo: Courtesy of WalMart