As one of the biggest superstores in the nation, Walmart is well renowned for having some of the lowest food costs available. The company sells everything from furniture and home goods to sushi and Sriracha. The store does indeed provide a great variety of affordable, delicious, and nutritional foods.
That can be a big draw, especially for those who are still in shock over the recent increases in grocery prices. But can something be too inexpensive?
Although it’s not always the case, when costs are low, it may indicate that suppliers are compromising on other aspects, such as quality, nutrition, and sustainability—which, regrettably, may be the case for these six Walmart products. When shopping in person or online, we determined the aisles that customers recommend avoiding by looking through the reviews on the store’s website.
Great Value Peanut Butter
Is there anything more traditional than a delicious PB&J sandwich? We strongly advise you to rethink your decision if you were intending to replenish on these items during your subsequent trip to Walmart. The store brand peanut butter isn’t even close to being considered the most well-liked among consumers. Due to its “stiff physical appearance, absence of color, and a dense, sticky look,” the legendary Price product scored low on The Sun’s taste test.
Despite the conflicting opinions expressed online, it is obvious that the nut butter has a flaw, even if it is not overt. “The flavor is excellent, and the price is amazing.Why, though, does it smell so awful? I don’t detect any smell once it has been included into the recipe, baked, or coated with fruit spread and bread, and it tastes fantastic. What’s going on there? On the store’s website, one customer wrote. I’m not sure what is causing it to stink, which kind of scares me. I smelled peanuts when I opened the jar a couple of years ago.
Simply read the label if you require additional proof. Walmart’s brand of nut butters has additives including sugar, hydrogenated vegetable oils, dextrose, and monoglycerides in addition to the essentials like peanuts and salt, placing it in the lower echelon of nut butters.
Seafood
You might be wondering how much the fish supply has improved since the ready-to-eat chicken was phased away. Unfortunately, some of the seafood options provided by the “Live Better” shop are below par.
For instance, a fish product from Walmart has received few favorable ratings. Due to the dangerously large number of complaints regarding receiving outdated fish, this pre-portioned salmon has a pathetic rating of 1.8 stars out of 5. “I attempted to purchase this three times, but each time it was tainted before its sell-by date. It had some color applied, and it was VERY ROTTEN. Once by in-store, twice by delivery. I’m sorry I tried three times!
There are problems with the irresponsible farming methods employed by Walmart’s suppliers as well as to the quality issue. Walmart is ranked poorly for sustainability overall by Greenpeace, according to the organization, which claims that “Walmart is one of many businesses highlighted in allegations of slavery in its supply chain, and their efforts to produce sustainable canned tuna have stopped.” Additionally, Walmart still sells bigeye and yellowfin tuna, which are among the seafood the environmental group encourages shoppers not to buy.
Labor rights groups have charged Walmart with importing farmed shrimp that is linked to hard, forced labor in the Thai shrimp industry. These organizations have challenged the company to find more ethical ways to source their shrimp, as have other large grocery retailers like Whole Foods and Costco.
Freshness Guaranteed Premium Ready-To-Serve Redskin Potato Salad
This potato salad used to be a common prepared side dish, but it is no longer deserving of a place at the table. Customers who learned that they would be more successful paying more cash to purchase something better notwithstanding the brand’s “fresh, reasonable, quality” promise gave the good a pitiful rating of 1.6 stars out of 5 on the retailer’s website.
Delicious was the old version. It tastes like food from the store and is revolting. It is impossible to identify the chemical in any of them that causes this. One customer complained that the potatoes weren’t thoroughly cooked. “Such a letdown. There was only one dish removed from the container, and it wasn’t even consumed. I suppose I’ll keep spending the additional $5 on Resers potato salad.
Rotisserie Chicken
With their renowned $4.99 rotisserie chicken, Costco is widely recognized as the market leader in this niche. Walmart may be close, though. No, customers say, not in the least. In fact, it received only 2 stars out of 5 on the superstore’s website, and it came in bottom place in a 2018 study of rotisserie chickens sold in grocery stores on this website.
This product has received numerous complaints. The birds were allegedly infested with bugs, chilly and stale, fried to a crisp, or even uncooked, according to reviewers. “The middle of rotisserie chickens is frequently raw or rare and bloodied. One client said, “It’s always hit or miss.” I’ve protested to management and the deli directly, yet the raw chicken is still produced.
Beef & Poultry
Many Americans’ diets are based mostly on meat. However, it can also be pricey, particularly in light of the meat industry’s recent increases in inflation. Walmart’s “everyday cheap prices” may make it seem more affordable to buy a protein-rich meal there, but you may not be receiving enough for the money you spend.
According to a case settled in 2020, Walmart has a history of charging too much for meat that is on sale.The company consequently consented to pay up to $9.5 million for ringing up meat that has been sold at full price since 2015.
It makes sense that you should be charged reasonably for your purchases of beef and poultry after this settlement, but it might not be price it. The quality of staples like raw beef and chicken has changed noticeably over the past year, and not for the better, according to more recent consumer reports.
The store brand’s boneless, skinless chicken breast received one negative review from a customer: “This product is not at all edible!” If you can ever cut through it to obtain a bite, the chicken is so woody and tough that trying to eat even a small bite makes you choke! PLEASE DON’T WASTE YOUR MONEY! never to purchase again. The quality of goods that were formerly considered great value has drastically declined.
Furthermore, many reviews found that their ground beef was rotten when they received it, which is a major letdown. “When we got home, we discovered that the meat had an expiration date the following day. We chose to prepare accordingly. It was a startling shade of gray when I got it out of the fridge to cook at 3:30! One consumer exclaimed, “Yuck!” “We snapped a picture and brought it to Walmart. The customer service person informed my husband that the rules did not permit any credit. How is that even possible?
Even packages of beef that didn’t appear to have an expiration date marked on them. Walmart has a negative image in the beef and poultry sectors as a result of these recurrent meat concerns. One user said, “Walmart is notorious for bad meat and poultry,” in response to a Reddit post by a customer who claimed to have contracted food sickness after eating a Walmart chicken. Never ever purchase it from a Walmart location.
Fresh Produce
The cost of high-quality produce can be prohibitive, which makes it difficult for many consumers to consume entire meals that are nutrient-dense. The good news is that Walmart frequently offers lower costs than its rivals. The produce isn’t particularly good, so that’s the drawback. Walmart received the most votes in a recent Facebook poll conducted by Eat This, Not That! to discover the worst shopping stores for produce. In this instance, winning means a loss.
One reader speculated that the problem might be due to improper storage practices: “I suppose part of their problem is not storing things correctly. I frequently eat the Taylor packaged salads, and a lot of the times the ones I buy at Walmart have gone bad days before their expiration date. Purchase the identical salad at a different grocery store; it remains good one week after expiration.
Others have expressed a similar opinion, such as workers who write on the Reddit site dedicated to Walmart: “I don’t buy our produce. Before it ends up on the floor, the product [has] been on the shelf for more than a month and in the back for [at least] 2-3 months. For whatever reason, it’s usually best to hunt for your fruits and vegetables at another low-cost supermarket.