Moral question about shopping at Walmart

[PameliaSue]

I have found that REAL FOOD is not cheaper at Wal-Mart and the quality is notably inferior! When I buy produce at Wal-Mart it is less flavorful and spoils much earlier in general. I think they probably buy the "seconds" that the other stores reject at a discount. The money I may save by shopping at Wal-Mart is lost in the poor quality.

The only food I buy at Wal-Mart is chips, soda and chocolate. I am 20 miles from any other major retailer for household supplies so I do purchase things like toothpaste, shampoo and so forth from Wal-Mart. I NEVER buy raw meat from Wal-Mart because they zap it with stuff (I believe they put it under a x-ray type thing) so that it keeps longer. If I buy raw meat I buy it farm raised when I can afford it (it is actually cheaper if you go in with a couple families and just purchase a whole cow) or from our local Safeway who guarantees not to zap it.

 

I have a Costco card but rarely go these days because of the gas prices. I keep my ear out for when others make the trip and then I give them my list. So I buy all of my frozen meat, diapers, wipes, t.p., motor oil, dish soap, and often bread from Costco.

 

Wal-Mart is one of 3 options to me locally. My husband used to work for Safeway which is a grocery store here on the west coast and we almost always avoided Wal-Mart in favor of supporting his store. During his time in the grocery field I learned alot about Wal-Mart's impact and they are terrible for the economy! Just check out http://walmartwatch.com/ . Berkeley put out their results from a study that found, "Paying less than 1% more each time you shopped at Wal-Mart would translate into a 10% raise for all store employees." Yeah!! It just makes you sick!!!

 

My husband is a hunter and so the gun thing isn't an issue for us... we actually lean the other way. My local Wal-Mart has had the same disabled employees there for YEARS. Our issue is that Wal-Mart worships the dollar at the cost of the wellbeing of their employees and our economy! I recently saw a news report that said their stock is doing GREAT because of the declining economy. We're seeing a pattern here.

 

So I do shop there but I get all that I reasonably can elsewhere.

[MyThreeSons]

I would say it's the same here, i figure if they were so bad to work for - the retired folks in my area wouldn't be working there.

:grouphug:

 

It's not like they have many other choices, though.

[TraceyS/FL]

That isn't true here. EVERY store is hiring, we are in a retail boom. Kohls, Best Buy, Joann's & Petsmart (and Sams) are getting ready to open - my cashier at Bed Bath & Beyond was a "retired" (60 something) MAN. Every store is "full" of retired people working. The guy that takes your grocery's to the car at Publix? Retired.....

 

There is no lack of retail jobs in the area, but the same faces are at WM and some have been in the 4.5 years i have been here. They probably could all get other jobs "easy peasy".

 

I could find the quote i sent to my form General Manager at Best Buy in CA - talking about the store coming here, the retail here scares me, we have more new stores coming than we have people willing to work. The local young adult set doesn't want to, the retired folks might not need to.

 

But there are options here for them...... LOTS of them...

[astrid]

isn't it sad how many places have "retired" folk working? What does that say? Because I really doubt they're working just for the fun and social aspects.

 

:iagree::iagree: My thoughts, exactly.

[Tammy]

I don't like shopping at Walmart because they never have enough registers open, and not many of the employees speak English.....that is enough for me, LOL!

 

Every time I go in there....I leave mad.....so I usually shop at Target!

 

Tammy

[TraceyS/FL]

Actually, some are working because they found they didn't enjoy playing golf all day, can't really fish all day, and drove their wives crazy (heard straight from the horses mouth on all 3), some are working because they have to. Just because they live in the retirement community, doesn't mean they are totally retired either.

 

Honestly, the dynamics of living next door to 60,000 over 55 people has been interesting! It's a great place to raise kids too..... (see, the non-retirement population of my town is 11,000, the retired folks are 60,000 - who has the biggest employment base? they outnumber us greatly!)

 

But frankly, i'm pleased they are WILLING to work - means that the cashiers speak english and there are always enough of them on the weekends! Because i can assure you, the under 25 crowd around here doesn't show up to work well on the weekends (seen again first hand).

 

Anyway, i'll ask my DD's knitting teacher about it next time i see her. She has worked there 3-4 nights a week for the last 3 years.

[MyThreeSons]

don't you have a disproportionate number of retired folks there in FL compared to most of the rest of us?

 

My dh worked at WalMart for about 3-1/2 years beginning when he turned 62yo. There are very few other places around here where you will find older folks working. They are not treated well, IMO, and you hear lots of complaints, but they don't have other options.

[love2read]

sorry, wrong place