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Wal-Mart 'urgent' memo urges improvement at U.S. stores: NYT
Reuters ^ | 12 Nov 14 | Reuters staff

Posted on 11/12/2014 5:36:14 PM PST by SkyPilot

Wal-Mart stores Inc issued an "urgent agenda" memo to its store managers across the United States last month, laying out guidelines to boost sales of "chilled and fresh" food, the New York Times reported.

The memo, marked "highly sensitive", asks Wal-Mart marketing managers to make sure they discount aging meat and baked goods to maximize chances of selling them before their expiration dates, according to the report.

Wal-Mart, which has posted six straight quarters of flat or declining same-store sales growth, has been battling a stronger dollar and a reduction in U.S. food stamp benefits, which has eaten into the budget of the retailer's core customer base.

The Times said the memo calls for comprehensive markdowns across 32 departments, asks stores to find creative ways to sell clearance items and to keep "complete records of daily throws" of meat and poultry.

(Excerpt) Read more at ca.news.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: economy; foodstamps; hitpiece; nyt; nytimes; recession; walmart
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To: SkyPilot
Wal-Mart, which has posted six straight quarters of flat or declining same-store sales growth, has been battling a stronger dollar and a reduction in U.S. food stamp benefits, which has eaten into the budget of the retailer's core customer base.

Does anyone have a link to an article explaining the "reduction in U.S. food stamp benefits?"

I ask because every client I interview at a local food/clothing bank has seen a substantial increase in food stamps in the last month or so.

Here's a real kick: about 50% of the interviewees are unaware they got an increase.

21 posted on 11/12/2014 6:02:20 PM PST by upchuck (The language of government now is word-spew. ~ h/t Peggy Noonan)
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To: driftdiver

I made that mistake once - what a circus!! All the people on disability go shopping at WMT just two days of the month, what a sight!


22 posted on 11/12/2014 6:03:01 PM PST by Ken522
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To: nascarnation

Dunno, the crowd is much larger on those days around here.


23 posted on 11/12/2014 6:03:22 PM PST by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
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To: nascarnation

“What state are you in?
Tell your legislators to go to calendar sequenced EBT payouts like SocSec has done.”

Wealth redistribution works so much better that way.


24 posted on 11/12/2014 6:06:40 PM PST by RS_Rider (I hate Illinois Nazis)
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To: driftdiver

The stores lobbied for it (most states), to smooth out the sales during the month.

The Fedgov adopted it for SocSec in 1997.


25 posted on 11/12/2014 6:07:02 PM PST by nascarnation (Impeach, Convict, Deport)
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To: nascarnation

Yup. ALDI is a great store. There are not many brands, often only one, but the quality is good.


26 posted on 11/12/2014 6:07:17 PM PST by LongWayHome
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To: RS_Rider

I don’t see this payment method affecting the underlying political philosophy at all.

It just makes sense for the stores to even out business during the month.

The fedgov changed SocSec payments to multiple days back in 97.


27 posted on 11/12/2014 6:09:30 PM PST by nascarnation (Impeach, Convict, Deport)
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To: SkyPilot

I buy the reduced for quick sale meat at Walmart. Lots of times it’s “yellow-tagged” several days before the sell by date. I’ve done that for years.

Several years ago, as long as I got there before 9:00am, I could always find yellow tag deals. Nowadays, there are folks waiting around at 7:30am for the guy to come out, and do the mark downs.


28 posted on 11/12/2014 6:09:37 PM PST by sockmonkey (Of course I didn't read the article. After all, this is Free Republic.)
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To: nascarnation

From Floridas site

“Cash benefits are available by the 3rd day of each month.
Food assistance benefits are available by the 15th day of each month. (SUNCAP food assistance benefits are available by the 3rd day of each month.)”


29 posted on 11/12/2014 6:11:54 PM PST by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
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To: driftdiver

I can see where that’s a big problem!

Here’s a more typical setup (ex: my state of Indiana)
http://www.in.gov/fssa/dfr/4832.htm


30 posted on 11/12/2014 6:14:50 PM PST by nascarnation (Impeach, Convict, Deport)
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To: Dilbert San Diego

With 50,000,000 people on food stamps, the core customer for everyone in the food business, outside of Ruth’s Chris steak House, is food stamp recipients.

Per the census, there are approximately 115,226,802 households in the United states 49,900,000 on food stamps and approximately 313,000,000 million people, give or take ten to twenty illegals. @ 2.6 people per households that is almost 19.2 million households food stamp dependent. That is i in six. ONE IN SIX.

SNAP benefits cost $76.4 billion in fiscal year 2013. Almost $80 billion for ONE Federal food program. Lots of money in poverty.


31 posted on 11/12/2014 6:15:36 PM PST by Jim from C-Town (The government is rarely benevolent, often malevolent and never benign!)
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To: LongWayHome

If it’s the same Aldi that we have in our area they have DELICIOUS spaghetti sauce.


32 posted on 11/12/2014 6:16:18 PM PST by kitkat (STORM HEAVEN WITH PRAYERS FOR OUR COUNTRY)
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To: Arkansas Toothpick

Walmarts vary greatly in customer service from store to store. Generally they reflect the attitude of the neighborhood they are in.


33 posted on 11/12/2014 6:16:29 PM PST by Hugin ("Do yourself a favor--first thing, get a firearm!",)
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To: SkyPilot

Their meat is expensive and poor quality.


34 posted on 11/12/2014 6:16:57 PM PST by stilloftyhenight (...staying home isn't an option.)
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To: Arkansas Toothpick

They have basically become a store that caters to the EBT and Welfare crowd. Which is why a lot of us avoid Walmart. BTW, also surprised anyone wants to work there—especially the cashiers. I have witnessed customers screaming and hurling insults at cashiers worse than the saltiest sailor.


35 posted on 11/12/2014 6:17:05 PM PST by rbg81
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To: apoliticalone

My wife will shop there for some items, but I don’t anymore. I think the last time I shopped there was last Christmas because I could not find the item in other stores and it was too late to shop online due to shipping. Agree with what you said....they are basically raping us all. Taking EBT billions and propping up Chinese manufacturing.


36 posted on 11/12/2014 6:20:28 PM PST by SkyPilot ("I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6)
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To: nascarnation

Who really cares if the Fed govt doles out the EBT Food Stamps on a more regular (I.e. Weekly) basis? I think you are missing the larger point.


37 posted on 11/12/2014 6:22:09 PM PST by SkyPilot ("I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6)
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To: Arkansas Toothpick

I wrote to our local WM.
Nothing in response.


38 posted on 11/12/2014 6:23:01 PM PST by Eric in the Ozarks (Rip it out by the roots.)
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To: SkyPilot

We shop at WalMart because we can’t afford to shop anywhere else. Won’t buy their meat though - I once knew a guy that got fired from WalMart as a meat manager because he threatened to blow the whistle on shady redating practices (or so he said at the time - he may have just been deadwood). The problem is that they rarely restock and the store is out of at least 2-3 items per week that we need.


39 posted on 11/12/2014 6:23:08 PM PST by Some Fat Guy in L.A. (Still bitterly clinging to rational thought despite it's unfashionability)
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To: SkyPilot

People trying to avoid a mass of noxious indigents on certain shopping days certainly care.

And merchants trying to have a balanced daily workload and workforce certainly care.

FWIW SNAP (aka food stamps) is actually administered by the states, not the fedgov.


40 posted on 11/12/2014 6:25:58 PM PST by nascarnation (Impeach, Convict, Deport)
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