Walmart: High Cost of Low Price

The High Cost of Low Price

Walmart is known for its low prices, but at what cost? Walmart shoppers are not aware of the practices Walmart indulges in to keep these prices so low. Walmart:The High Cost of Low Prices is a documentary that presents the negative picture of Walmart’s business practices and the effects it has on individuals and communities. One does not know the wrongs of Walmart until watching this.

Walmart stores are short staffed because they want to save money on labor expenses. Workers often stayed after hours in order to finish work. It is estimated that they cheated workers out of $150 million dollars. Managers were taught how to digitally change people's time cards so they would not receive overtime, reducing store expenses. The very thought of this disgusted me. It makes me question how a company can get away with taking away people’s hard earned money. This is only possible because Walmart is one of the most anti-union companies in America. Employees that are suspected in taking part in unions are immediately fired. Because Walmart doesn't pay fair wages they are unable to afford Walmart's health insurance, so many employees go on public assistance programs such as Medicaid. What is even worse are the factory conditions in countries such as China and Bangladesh.

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In China, factory workers live in dorms owned by Walmart where they pay rent and utilities. Even if they choose to move out, they are still required to pay rent for dorms.

All of this for 18 cents an hour, $3 a day. This is one example of how Walmart takes advantage of those in poverty.

What I like most in this documentary is the ending. It shows that Walmart is...