[Growltigger]

You are all missing one other rather nasty side effect of Walmart's low prices for goods.

Sure they pay their staff peanuts. Sure they take the cheapest option at all times, but what do the cheap prices mean?

It means they stiff their suppliers, and use their buying power to force down the prices the farmers and manufacturers can charge for their goods, reducing in turn their profit element, and reducing the amount of cash they have to support their businesses, and in turn pay their workers.

My advice? go for quality, not cheapness of goods - a farmer near me was a major supplier to Tesco and Asda (owned by Walmart in the UK). HE got so fed up with being told what he would charge that he withdrew from his supply arrangements, and decided to open hs own shop and concentrate on low-volume high quality produce, all organic. Now? Sainsburys ARE BEGGING HIM to supply products, and he can take them to the neogitating table! bloody good effort for him