Wal Mart & Organics

[sojii]

Wal Mart is making a big production out of carrying organics to satisfy that corner of the market. If you find yourself tempted to buy your organic foods or green products at Wal Mart because it's less expensive, think again.

When Wal Mart contracts with a producer, they go in promising great gobs of money. Even the most honest, good-intentioned producer of food and goods gets stars in their eyes. The insidious way they're getting to the producers of organic and green products is to convince them that it's MORAL. It will enable more people to go green / organic. How can they argue with that? The problem is, when Wal Mart contracts with any vendor, they require changes to the products that will make them more cost-effective. Little ones up front. Then, Wal Mart demands that the manufacturer produce on a scale large enough to satisfy Wal Mart's needs so the producer builds bigger facilities, hires more people and is up to their earballs in debt. That's when Wal Mart really starts putting the screws to them. At this point, they have no choice but to give in to Wal Mart's demands. Wal Mart takes a good product, a perfectly reliable product that people like and buy, and lowers the quality. Unfortunately, manufacturers don't make a different version of the product for Albertson's or Kroger or Whole Foods. And Wal Mart's not about to allow a better quality version of the product to be available out there anyway. So the quality of the product is reduced for everyone, no matter where you buy. If you suddenly find your favorite product at Wal Mart, you might as well give it up entirely.

I bought an organic sugar at Wal Mart recently, Florida Crystals. First of all, it was in a plastic pour container that allowed air and humidity in and turned the sugar into a brick. Second, it was strangely uniform in color, which isn't usual with organics. It's impossible to get out of the container without pounding a knife into it to break it up. As I was doing that, in the center I found pure white chunks. It had been colored tan and some had been missed. This is a USDA certified organic sugar.

Wal Mart claims to carry organic produce now. Yeah, they do. There are 6 Wal Marts within 10 miles of me, and I've checked them all at various times. They always have small bags of dried-out organic mixed broccoli, cauliflower and slimy carrots. And sometimes they have organic romaine lettuce. They don't replenish the bags of mixed veggies, they just let them sit past the time no one would want to eat them.

If you've noticed a change in the taste, texture or quality of a product lately, you might want to see if it's something Wal Mart's started carrying.

I used to use Ecos laundry detergent. I loved it because it was green and it had the most wonderful fragrance, Magnolia and Lily. I loved to do laundry! I bought it at a natural products store and it cost about $14. I went to buy some more a while back at Sunflower Shoppe and the scent was watered down and unrecognizeable. I bought something else. That night I went into Wal Mart to get paper towels and found out why. Stacked in the aisle was a pallet of Magnolia and Lily Ecos. The reduction in quality was to meet Wal Mart's demands. And it was $9. instead of $14. Can't argue with that, can you! I did, I emailed Ecos, told them they'd sold out and I wouldn't buy their products anymore. But that's just me. If it were only the fragrance, it might not be such a big deal. But with Wal Mart, the quality of the product will continue to deteriorate to save them money. Eventually, it won't clean as well and you'll have to use more to do the job. So in the long run, it will cost you as much as the $14. better-quality version formerly available elsewhere, but without the nice fragrance.

Wal Mart uses all kinds of below-the-belt tactics. If they want you to buy a particular item, they'll pick the busiest grocery day, Sunday, simply remove every other brand of that item and tell you they're sold out. Not. Do you buy it when every single container of coffee is sold out except for Folgers? In a Wal Mart? No size of any other brand, not even the grind-your-own? But somehow they've got a full stock of Maxwell House? Or there's no other trash bag but Glad? Not even the cheap scented rolls? Nothing? Zip, zilch, nada? Except for full shelves of Glad bags? The managers will lie to your face.

If you've never seen a documentary called "Is Wal Mart Good for America?", see if you can find it. It was done a number of years ago and Wal Mart's gotten worse since then. I realize it seems to be cheaper to buy at Wal Mart, but it's not in the long run. That $10. clock won't keep good time and you'll have to replace it. The $10 coffee maker won't last a year, and you'll be buying another. It's like the illusion of the dollar stores. Yes, you can buy a bottle of major brand dishwashing detergent there for $1. But it's a smaller version. To buy the same amount at the dollar stores as the regular size in a grocery store, it costs you more money, not less. You're not saving money in the long run at dollar stores and you're not saving money at Wal Mart. Both are gimmicks.

I just don't trust Wal Mart.

[jonsi]

The closest Wal-Mart is 25 miles away. I go there maybe twice a year to get camping supplies and unscented tea candles.

We have one grocery store in my town of 18,000 people (Smith's) and they carry organic milk, fruits/vegetables, meat, free-range chicken, laundry detergent, sugar, etc... It might seem overwhelming to switch to a healthier lifestyle (monetarily & knowing what organic products are the most important) but once I had switched over it isn't that much more expensive. Plus the organic stuff has a longer shelf life. ????? no preservatives!

Back to Wal-Mart. I don't trust it either.

In the white light,
~jonsi

[sojii]

You're right, Jonsi - organic lasts longer. And so does non-organic from farmer's markets. That's my second choice when I can't get to the store that has a lot of organics. At least it's fresh. New Mexico had health sense even when I lived there 22 years ago! Must be because of all the aging hippies

[Seasprite]

I bet the same thing is true for Vitacost.

I used to get a mouthwash from them, and then the formula changed. And the same with Jason Organics dandruff control shampoo. It's now watered down. Same ingredient list.

Originally Posted by sojii

Wal Mart is making a big production out of carrying organics to satisfy that corner of the market. If you find yourself tempted to buy your organic foods or green products at Wal Mart because it's less expensive, think again.

When Wal Mart contracts with a producer, they go in promising great gobs of money. Even the most honest, good-intentioned producer of food and goods gets stars in their eyes. The insidious way they're getting to the producers of organic and green products is to convince them that it's MORAL. It will enable more people to go green / organic. How can they argue with that? The problem is, when Wal Mart contracts with any vendor, they require changes to the products that will make them more cost-effective. Little ones up front. Then, Wal Mart demands that the manufacturer produce on a scale large enough to satisfy Wal Mart's needs so the producer builds bigger facilities, hires more people and is up to their earballs in debt. That's when Wal Mart really starts putting the screws to them. At this point, they have no choice but to give in to Wal Mart's demands. Wal Mart takes a good product, a perfectly reliable product that people like and buy, and lowers the quality. Unfortunately, manufacturers don't make a different version of the product for Albertson's or Kroger or Whole Foods. And Wal Mart's not about to allow a better quality version of the product to be available out there anyway. So the quality of the product is reduced for everyone, no matter where you buy. If you suddenly find your favorite product at Wal Mart, you might as well give it up entirely.

I bought an organic sugar at Wal Mart recently, Florida Crystals. First of all, it was in a plastic pour container that allowed air and humidity in and turned the sugar into a brick. Second, it was strangely uniform in color, which isn't usual with organics. It's impossible to get out of the container without pounding a knife into it to break it up. As I was doing that, in the center I found pure white chunks. It had been colored tan and some had been missed. This is a USDA certified organic sugar.

Wal Mart claims to carry organic produce now. Yeah, they do. There are 6 Wal Marts within 10 miles of me, and I've checked them all at various times. They always have small bags of dried-out organic mixed broccoli, cauliflower and slimy carrots. And sometimes they have organic romaine lettuce. They don't replenish the bags of mixed veggies, they just let them sit past the time no one would want to eat them.

If you've noticed a change in the taste, texture or quality of a product lately, you might want to see if it's something Wal Mart's started carrying.

I used to use Ecos laundry detergent. I loved it because it was green and it had the most wonderful fragrance, Magnolia and Lily. I loved to do laundry! I bought it at a natural products store and it cost about $14. I went to buy some more a while back at Sunflower Shoppe and the scent was watered down and unrecognizeable. I bought something else. That night I went into Wal Mart to get paper towels and found out why. Stacked in the aisle was a pallet of Magnolia and Lily Ecos. The reduction in quality was to meet Wal Mart's demands. And it was $9. instead of $14. Can't argue with that, can you! I did, I emailed Ecos, told them they'd sold out and I wouldn't buy their products anymore. But that's just me. If it were only the fragrance, it might not be such a big deal. But with Wal Mart, the quality of the product will continue to deteriorate to save them money. Eventually, it won't clean as well and you'll have to use more to do the job. So in the long run, it will cost you as much as the $14. better-quality version formerly available elsewhere, but without the nice fragrance.

Wal Mart uses all kinds of below-the-belt tactics. If they want you to buy a particular item, they'll pick the busiest grocery day, Sunday, simply remove every other brand of that item and tell you they're sold out. Not. Do you buy it when every single container of coffee is sold out except for Folgers? In a Wal Mart? No size of any other brand, not even the grind-your-own? But somehow they've got a full stock of Maxwell House? Or there's no other trash bag but Glad? Not even the cheap scented rolls? Nothing? Zip, zilch, nada? Except for full shelves of Glad bags? The managers will lie to your face.

If you've never seen a documentary called "Is Wal Mart Good for America?", see if you can find it. It was done a number of years ago and Wal Mart's gotten worse since then. I realize it seems to be cheaper to buy at Wal Mart, but it's not in the long run. That $10. clock won't keep good time and you'll have to replace it. The $10 coffee maker won't last a year, and you'll be buying another. It's like the illusion of the dollar stores. Yes, you can buy a bottle of major brand dishwashing detergent there for $1. But it's a smaller version. To buy the same amount at the dollar stores as the regular size in a grocery store, it costs you more money, not less. You're not saving money in the long run at dollar stores and you're not saving money at Wal Mart. Both are gimmicks.

I just don't trust Wal Mart.

[sojii]

Rembrandt toothpaste is my latest lowered-quality discovery. It's pricey to begin with - $6.50 - $8.00 depending on where you buy it. It used to have the consistency of regular toothpaste. But five of the six most recent tubes I've bought have been so liquid half drips off the toothbrush before I can get it to my mouth. So instead of spending $6.90 for a tube, I'm really spending, what - $13.80?? - for the same amount of toothpaste to make it to my mouth. I emailed them and they expressed surprise; no one else had had that problem. They offered to compensate me. I declined because I wouldn't give my address, but did say that if the next tube was that way, they'd lost a customer. There's a website where you can list unsatisfactory products and services but I can't remember the name. Can anyone else?

[jeanlong]

huh...yep... shop at walmart sometimes maybe every month --their organics that we tried are great - brown rice, eggs, and fresh spinach always. The rest, very intermittent: oranges, apples, potato, scallion, extra virgin coconut oil, frozen amy brand pizza or boxed dinner, and blue corn chips. No problems and comparable quality to sunflower the local health food grocer and seriously cheaper than big conventional grocery store (vons, smiths, albertsns) . . . sounds bad, in these other locations... totally not appealing some of these description of second and third rate stuff...

[sojii]

We don't get the organic spinach, but if we did, I guarantee it would be liquified at the bottom of the bag! One WalMart I go to has recently started stocking the organic Tostito's chips, sometimes blue, sometimes yellow. And they have added a gluten-free section which has some interesting items. I find cardboard with sesame seeds very tasty, actually. It has sort of a delicate flavor. I'm joking. I do buy things from that section but have gotten quite a few that were stale.

[jeanlong]

sounds gross, yuck. spinach is in a big box like shoebox size almost, delicious, better fresher than trader joe or sunflower, nothing icky, old. sounds like your area's wmt has more selection but mostly bad. There very few choices anytime in wmt here yet good stuff. the worst selection is whole foods - costly and big selection, but not all that fresh or somehow poorer quality. but they have one thing I like, organic orange juice.

Originally Posted by sojii

We don't get the organic spinach, but if we did, I guarantee it would be liquified at the bottom of the bag! One WalMart I go to has recently started stocking the organic Tostito's chips, sometimes blue, sometimes yellow. And they have added a gluten-free section which has some interesting items. I find cardboard with sesame seeds very tasty, actually. It has sort of a delicate flavor. I'm joking. I do buy things from that section but have gotten quite a few that were stale.

[sojii]

I found an almost-organic farmer's market just a few miles away. It's not technically organic because the soil has absorbed pesticides previously but she only buys produce from local farmers who use only jalapeno juice as insectides. People here just aren't into organics that much unless they're foodies, which is why we have very little quality organic produce in the stores. It's about 15 miles to the closest foodie stores but an hour in traffic and they're ridiculously expensive.

[sojii]

Oh, another thing this WalMart carries is Newman's Own organic dog food. It's not quite as expensive as the pet store brands and I don't have to make a special trip to Petco. I wish they'd carry his Fig Newmans. I love those things.