Walmart Pushes Back As Major Product Suppliers Ask For Higher Prices
Walmart is warning major packaged goods makers that it can no longer stomach their price hikes, pitching its own private-label products to shoppers as less-expensive alternatives to suppliers’ name-brand goods.
For the world’s biggest retailer, which reports earnings Feb. 21, any increase in prices — even by just a few cents — can have negative effects, prompting some shoppers to look for bargains at dollar stores or warehouse chains such Costco.
Walmart, which touts its ‘Everyday Low Price’ policy, raised prices last year on milk, frozen meals and Tide detergent, to name a few, as its suppliers battled soaring costs of everything from chemicals to wheat and fuel.
But now with the cost of cardboard cases declining by 40% to 50%, the cost of transportation falling by 25% to 30% and the cost of raw materials declining significantly, “retailers like Walmart will say ‘hey you already had three rounds of price hikes last year, why are you giving us another?'” said Burt Flickinger, managing director at retail consulting firm Strategic Resource Group.
Rod Little, CEO of Schick razor maker Edgewell Personal Care, told Reuters that it “will be very difficult” to pass new price increases through to retailers going forward. Walmart is Edgewell’s biggest customer.
Little said in an interview: “Because the consumer is now under more pressure, and Walmart is under pressure, that sets up a dynamic where there’s probably not a lot of pricing going forward.”
Related news
Walmart bets big on AI with ‘super agent’ strategy
The retailer is centralizing AI capabilities to avoid fragmentation, noting…
Read more >Walmart tests dark stores
As the retailer accelerates its delivery efforts, the brick-and-mortar locations…
Read more >Walmart opens first-ever owned and operated case-ready beef facility
The discount giant opened a case-ready beef facility in Olathe,…
Read more >Related news
The Chamber launches free training for budding entrepreneurs
The Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MKIK), in collaboration…
Read more >Lidl Switzerland Sees ‘Record’ Growth In Cheese Exports In 2024
Lidl Switzerland saw record cheese export growth in 2024, marking…
Read more >Non-alc beer brand Heaps Normal gets Robbie Williams backing
The brand’s “core range” is being rolled out across “select…
Read more >