Food and the Walmartization of Agriculture

Walmart gained market share by providing low-cost products with tight negotiations for suppliers and labor at all levels. Walmart controls about 25 percent of the US grocery market, and its business model favors industrial farms and producers of volume, argues Josh Sager for GlobalResearch. Medical research touting the health benefits of fruits and vegetables is shaping consumer demands. Yet processed foods and produce doused with pesticides have a longer shelf life in stores and homes. Reliance treated foods can pose higher long-term health-care costs for consumers. “The business model and sheer size of Walmart have caused their corporate practices to have huge impact on the global agricultural markets,” Sager writes. “The corporate decisions of Walmart have affected virtually every aspect of agriculture, including the growing practices of the producers, the conduct of other sellers, and the consumers of goods.” Consumers can decide which has priority, fresh produce or low prices, as grocers strive to meet emerging trends. – YaleGlobal