By Kara Pifer
What college student can say that they do not enjoy their cheap trips to Walmart, or any other discount store for that matter? I am sure that there are some, so please do not send me hate mail because you would never shop at Walmart due to their business practices, but for the most part, I feel like with their unbeatable prices, many college students and families alike visit Walmart for their weekly grocery or household needs. Although prior to this week I mostly associated Walmart with cheap junk foods and other low quality items, an article from MSNBC may change that stereotype of the world’s largest retailer for many people including myself. The article explains Walmart’s plan to become more nutritionally acceptable and over the next few years they plan to make many changes to the nutritional value of many of their products.
Why is Walmart participating in such an overhaul? Is this a scam to go along with the healthy trends to try to get more consumers to shop there? (Sounds like the PepsiCo. debate!) While this may be so, if their produce section improves in quality and goes down in price, why not stop there to buy your apples when the farmer’s markets are not available? If the products are lower in sodium and cost less, why not buy them to make for your family? These seemingly small changes may add up for consumers in their efforts for a healthier lifestyle. Although all of these changes seem quite simple and honest, many people are worried than this plan is more than it seems. Do those that work for Walmart know of anything otherwise? Are these plans just for good press?
If this is only a well-schemed publicity stunt, I do not believe that First Lady Michelle Obama would be so involved in this project. In a press conference recently, where she seemed to be a guest speaker, she spoke about the upcoming changes Walmart plans on making and it seems she supports these developments whole heartedly. This new plan goes along with her other numerous efforts for improving the nutritional health of the nation. The list of Walmart’s planned changes is not too extensive, but they seem to be very important changes. The highlighted changes include eliminating the trans fat and lowering the sodium and sugar levels within its own product line over the next five years, provide more healthy foods, lower the cost of produce, expand the business into large cities such as New York City and Chicago, and creating a seal that will help shoppers find the healthiest food choices.
In college towns, or at least in my area, Walmart is famous for Ramen Noodles and Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, and these changes aren’t going to affect those brands so why does really matter in the long run? Another article I came across described how Walmart is not only a producer of their own line of products, but also has many outside influences on companies and manufacturers and how their products are produced and marketed. With Walmart making all of these changes, who is to say they are not trying to make other companies see the benefits of nutrition as well? As for their house brand, many people see the Great Value logo and automatically assume low quality products that just don’t stand up to the competition in anything beyond price. This could change. If the Great Value brand starts making a lot of health conscious changes without increasing cost (at least by much) I think the image of Walmart’s house brand will improve over time. Many college students enjoy the foods they do because they taste good, are cheap, easy to make and readily available. If two comparable boxes of macaroni and cheese stand side by side and one is a well known name brand, the student will probably choose the name brand just based on precedence alone. What if a few parts of this scenario were changed? What if the store brand contained 25% less sodium, no trans fat and actually cost a significant amount less? Would the college student buy the store brand? Possibly, but the same scenario with a mother purchasing food for her family, I think the mother would choose the store brand with the added benefits. I believe that this is part of the plan that Walmart officials have in mind. Using marketing strategies to create appeal to those with families will possibly help Walmart sell more of their brand while helping families make healthier choices whenever possible. So although this may make some believe it is only a marketing ploy for Walmart, I really think that in addition to the help for business, it is to help improve the health, even minimally, for those who shop at Walmart.
What do you think? Do you believe that these small changes will even make any difference in the lives of those who buy their groceries at Walmart? Do you think sales will go up as a result of these new nutritional alterations? Do you know if the changes in the foods are being researched by Registered Dietitians who know what a body needs? Do you think it will create more job opportunities for those in the nutrition world? I assume only time will tell if any of Walmart’s plans will make any difference in the lives of those who shop there.
For an interesting news video clip including a short segment from Michelle Obama’s press conference speech, look at:
For other articles on the topic:
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