Sam Walton was a retail genius and a good man, but I don’t think he realized how devastating his intended and the unintended consequences of creating the largest company in America would be to the American way of life. The unintended consequences are horrific.
Watch television for any length of time these days and it is impossible to avoid the retail behemoth’s ads. Save money – Live Better. Gone is the smiley faced bandit slashing prices with a swipe of his sword. It has been replaced by the sophisticated marketing program featuring a harried housewife/working woman/single mom dealing with the daily budget. Wal-Mart can save you $800.00 a year on lunches or $800.00 on an alternative to fast food breakfasts—lowest prices guaranteed. Halloween and everything else costs less at Walmart. They claim to save the average american family $3,000 plus each year. The pitch is part of a marketing makeover for Walmart.
They want to become the solution for all Americans looking to save money and stretch their available retail dollars—that is their job. But, will they bring great harm to the American food producers and food retailers? If the past is an indication of the future, they will.