As Walmart grows in the grocery department the military commissary becomes less necessary to the buyers. Walmart IMO beats all competition as does COSTCO most of the time.
If the commissary advantage is down to 10%, there is no point in going, especially if its out of the way. You can do better clipping coupons.
The ‘tax-free’ alone makes it worth the little further drive (PX-BX too)... Remember, the taxes go to make entitlement peeps happy unemployed.. :p
Commissaries are on the post where the service men live and work. Walmart is off post and some distance away. And I would guess, that in someplaces, for example Ft. Huachuca or Dugway Proving Ground, there may not even be a Walmart.
Walmart beats all competition? That’s not my experience as a military retiree. The commissary beats Walmart hands down. Walmart is typically better on sale items, i.e. loss leaders, but they are substantially more expensive if one buys a typical week’s worth of groceries. If one purchases name brand items at Walmart, the commissary price advantage is even greater, and name brand items are generally the best quality.
What amazes me about this commissary discussion is that no one is talking about cutting food stamps in any way. The commissaries have long been touted as a form of military compensation for the sacrifices that military members make. While the US government isn’t contractually obligated to provide commissaries, it has long used them to encourage people to enlist and stay till retirement.
EBT is something that also subsidizes Walmart heavily, and I don’t hear many discussing that either. A good portion of Walmart employees are on EBT, and EBT purchases are a sizable chunk of Walmart’s grocery business.
I’m not opposed to cutting government, but I really, really want someone to explain to me why veterans always seem to be at the top of the list for reduced benefits. Actually, I don’t need it explained, I know why the Joint Chiefs are selling us out, but I don’t know why some conservatives are cheering these cuts. We’ve got $ trillions in handouts, I’m talking giving them something for nothing, to millions of Americans and American businesses (ethanol subsidies anyone), and some conservatives couldn’t care less as the politicians go after veterans, because “We gotta start cutting somewhere...” PUKE!
Yep. I'm in the military and 90% of my groceries are purchased at my local Walmart Supercenter. My rare visits to the commissary only serve to remind me why I don't go there more often. Shopping at the commissary has become a nightmare. Poor selection, empty shelves, out-of-date items, thin crowded aisles. And the savings just aren't what they used to be (though dairy and meats are still a little cheaper).
I won't shop at the exchanges for the same reasons unless I need uniform items. Honestly, the military could do away with both of these outlets and I wouldn't miss them at all.