Wal Mart’s Organic Commitment Pushes Us Further Past the Tipping Point

By | March 27th, 2006 13 Comments

walmartplastic.jpgWal Mart Stores plan to double their organic grocery offerings next month, in addition to a strong commitment to responsibly caught seafood and organic cotton in clothing (AP Article here). The best thing about this is the inevitable effect on Wal Mart’s massive supply chain – increasing the likelyhood that many other retailers and suppliers will follow their lead.
The assumption is still that organic is more costly, and is therefore part of a Wal Mart strategy to lure “more affluent” shoppers. Hopefully, however, with a move this sweeping, it will start to bring the price down for everyone, and expose Wal Mart’s regular clientelle to something a little more savory.

13 Comments

Categorized: Agriculture & Food, Food Safety, Food Security, Supply Chain|

  • http://blog.movetoiceland.com/ Icelander

    Wal*Mart is going to have to do a hell of a lot more than have organic food to get this “affluent” shopper to shop there.

  • Nick Aster

    Another good point I forgot to add is – let’s make sure the definition of “organic” hasn’t been too mutated!

  • Laurence Kincaid

    I will be interested in seeing who in the organic field is the first sell out. I know the product price is high, now we will see the price for their values and beliefs. Walmart may bring them mainstream but at what cost.

  • http://www.chocoholicsheaven.com Chocoholic

    Sounds interesting. I guess we will have to see how it all works out for them. Thanks for the post.

  • http://kodijack.blogspot.com Dale Hanks

    Organic farmers in the past couple of years have really started to see their income rise, this is going to submarine that trend for sure.

  • JL

    Will bring down price only if supply levels can be sustained. Extreme example: organic Baltic Sturgeon eggs.

  • Lark

    The level of “sustainably caught” seafood Wal-Mart will require is way too high to truly be sustainable. Our fisheries are going to hell.

  • S.C.

    is it about bring down the price? or is it about really seeing the value of food and of farmers and of quality made products and of well cared for soil…making these things a spending priority above say…alcohol? hairspray? cellphones? movies? most things aside from water and shelter ….

  • Kovalyova

    I think that it is a really good idea… as a new mother, I have really been trying to sustain a natural/organic diet to nurse my baby. This is extremely difficult if you don’t have much time between nursing and trying to take care of a family to venture out 20 miles (or more) to the nearest Whole Foods. That is an excursion I cannot afford to make 2-3 times per week. My local Walmart is only .5 miles away, and I can now do my shopping there. It is a matter of convenience!

  • Andy

    I belive that the prices for organic food are high, i question a player like walmart, will bring down the standards of organic, once farmers need to make a living. Being i can afford not to go to Walmart, i will continue not to support what they do do American Society. They have cheapened everything they have done. I feel sorry for the people that work for Walmart.

  • Scott D

    I have been an anti-walmart campainer for years, but the organic program is practical. I found over 60 organic ingredients that were affordable and clearly marked giving common shoppers a chance to make the organic purchase when they may not have originally.Your still big business and shallow organic, but you have won this battle kudos for helping spread the gospel.I will see you in our next battle evilW

  • Heather

    I was thrilled to see that Wal-Mart had started stocking their shelves with organic foods. Also, I find that the prices are the cheapest I’ve been able to find. As a concerned mother of three daughters, THANK YOU Wal-Mart for giving me a chance to feed my girls healthier, without going broke.

  • Laurence Kincaid

    I can certainly appreciate savings as much as the next person, however the Wal-Mart effect is not only on reduced retails to the consumer. Wal-Mart targets reducing all cost associated in products to have the lowest price and still make their margin. I do applaud it with one hand and shake a finger at them with the other because they don’t know when to stop cutting. I know this sounds strange, but what if the next cut effects what you or someone in your family does for a living. We all cant work for the government or Wal-Mart. Although it is a known fact that Wal-mart workers are subsidizing their wages with government assistant programs just to get by. I ask which is more evil higher prices or lower wages, in time if the worlds love affair with Wal-Mart continues we will see one of those change and it will not be the wages. Once Wal-Mart pushes out its competition it then raises retails and margins to subsidize the buying of market share elsewhere.
    I believe that shopping at Wal-Mart is going to have a major adverse effect on the future for ourselves as well as our children. If you have read this thank you, I am curious if others feel the same.