As one of the nation‘s largest retailers, Walmart is many Americans‘ go-to destination for stocking up on household essentials, from paper towels to t-shirts to sirloin steaks. With nearly 4,700 stores across the U.S., including over 3,500 Supercenters that house full-service grocery departments, Walmart is a major force in the food retail landscape.[^1] The company sells an estimated 18% of all meat and poultry products in the U.S. by volume.[^2]
But while Walmart‘s "everyday low prices" and one-stop shopping convenience are certainly appealing, many consumers find themselves questioning whether the savings are worth it when it comes to meat. Reports of sub-par quality, suspicious freshness, and even safety issues have plagued Walmart‘s meat department for years.
As a retail industry expert and unapologetically picky shopper, I wanted to get to the bottom of whether Walmart‘s meat really deserves its bad rap. I dug into consumer reviews and complaints, analyzed industry reports and studies, consulted with food safety experts, and even made a few stealth trips to Walmart‘s meat case myself. Here‘s what I found out.
Walmart Shoppers Give Meat Department Low Marks
It‘s no secret that Walmart has struggled with a reputation for lackluster meat. In Consumer Reports‘ 2017 grocery store survey, Walmart ranked dead last among major retailers in terms of meat and poultry quality, with respondents consistently reporting issues with freshness, cut quality, and flavor.[^3] A more recent consumer study by Piplsay found that while 54% of Walmart shoppers rated the store‘s overall grocery quality as "excellent" or "good," only 42% gave the same rating to the meat department specifically.[^4]
Tales of "nasty" and "disgusting" meat discoveries abound on social media and consumer forums, from slime-covered chicken to spoiled-smelling steak to "chunks of organs" in packages of ground beef.[^5] Of course, it‘s difficult to verify many of these anecdotal horror stories. But the sheer volume and similarity of negative reviews about Walmart meat suggests there may be some "where there‘s smoke, there‘s fire" legitimacy to the problem.
Recalls and Safety Concerns
Quality issues aside, Walmart has faced a number of high-profile food safety issues and recalls with its meat and poultry products over the years. Since 2018, Walmart has been forced to pull thousands of pounds of meat from shelves due to contamination with pathogens like Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria.[^6] As recently as June 2020, Walmart stores in 19 states were affected by a recall of nearly 43,000 pounds of ground beef due to E. coli concerns.[^7]
While food recalls happen across the industry, Walmart seems to be over-represented, perhaps due to its massive volume and complex supply chain. In a larger sense, critics argue that the scale and pricing pressure Walmart puts on suppliers may incentivize cutting corners on food safety protocols.[^8]
"Walmart is notorious for constantly pushing the price point to unsustainable levels," said one meat industry expert I spoke to on condition of anonymity. "Facilities are under pressure to prioritize speed and output over worker safety and food handling best practices."
Behind the Scenes of Walmart‘s Meat Operation
To understand the potential roots of Walmart‘s meat woes, you have to look at the way the proverbial sausage gets made. As a mega-retailer, Walmart has historically relied heavily on a sprawling network of third-party meat suppliers and processing facilities to provide the huge volume of products needed to stock its shelves.
This decentralized supply chain model offers efficiencies and economies of scale, but can also introduce more opportunities for quality control issues, as Walmart has less direct oversight over the conditions in which its meat is raised, slaughtered, and processed. While Walmart says all suppliers must adhere to its food safety and animal welfare standards, policing a worldwide supply chain is a major challenge.[^9]
Critics say Walmart‘s aggressive price-cutting puts undue pressure on U.S. ranchers and meat packers. "Walmart‘s large national footprint gives them a lot of leverage over suppliers," said a beef industry analyst. "They‘re known for pushing producers hard and requiring very low price points in order to meet Walmart‘s margin needs. Unfortunately, that pricing pressure often gets passed down to the workers and the animals."
There have been several investigations and exposés in recent years highlighting poor conditions at farms and plants that supply meat to Walmart, from worker abuse to unsanitary practices to mistreatment of livestock.[^10] [^11] While not necessarily unique to Walmart, these issues raise questions about the hidden costs of the company‘s low-price procurement model.
Walmart Makes Moves to Improve Meat Quality
Faced with ongoing questions about its meat, Walmart has made a number of changes in recent years to try to bolster both the reality and perception of its offerings. In 2017, Walmart launched its "Fresh Angle" program, which involved new associate training on meat handling best practices and more stringent temperature controls and inventory monitoring.[^12]
More significantly, in early 2020, Walmart unveiled its own state-of-the art Angus beef facility in Georgia, marking the first time the retailer has brought a key part of its meat processing fully in-house.[^13] The company says the 200,000-square-foot plant, which supplies about 500 Walmart stores in the Southeast, will allow for greater control and traceability. "This facility allows us to cut out the middleman and deliver a better end product to our customers," said Scott Neal, Walmart‘s senior VP of meat, in an interview.[^14]
The new plant is part of Walmart‘s larger "end-to-end" sustainability initiative around beef, which also includes new animal welfare requirements for suppliers and a collaboration with the Noble Research Institute to improve grazing practices.[^15] While still in the early stages, this holistic approach shows Walmart is at least aware that it needs to up its game to win over increasingly conscientious consumers.
Walmart has also recently expanded its selection of USDA Choice and Prime grade beef, and introduced a new line of Wagyu beef products to appeal to shoppers seeking premium options. These higher-end cuts are priced accordingly, but do diversify Walmart‘s meat selection beyond the budget end where its reputation largely resides.
Price Check: Comparing Walmart Meat to Competitors
One of the main reasons shoppers are willing to overlook Walmart‘s spotty reputation and roll the dice on meat is to cash in on the company‘s signature "rollback" prices. But just how much can you actually save on your steaks and chicken breasts by shopping at Walmart vs. other stores? The answer may surprise you.
A 2018 price check by Business Insider found that on products like boneless skinless chicken breast and 85% lean ground beef, Walmart consistently ranked as one of the most expensive retailers out of those surveyed, including Kroger, Safeway, and discount chain Aldi.[^16] For example, Walmart‘s chicken breast averaged $4.92/lb., compared to just $1.89 at Aldi.
Of course, Walmart‘s meat prices can vary by region, season, and cut, and it‘s always possible to luck out and catch a particularly good sale. There‘s also an argument that the ability to buy your ground chuck and dish soap and printer ink in one place saves time and gas money over making multiple stops.
But based on my research, I wouldn‘t assume that Walmart will always have the lowest prices on meat, and the difference may not be big enough to be worth the trade-off in quality for many shoppers. As always, it pays to comparison shop.
Tips for Choosing Quality Meat at Walmart
If you do opt to buy your meat at Walmart, there are some steps you can take to improve your odds of getting a fresh, tasty cut:
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Know the signs of freshness. Look for meat that is bright in color (not dull or gray), feels firm to the touch (not slimy or sticky), and doesn‘t have a strong odor.
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Check the packaging dates carefully and reach for the back of the case. Meat can be sold up to its "use by" date, but you‘ll get more fridge life at home if you select the freshest packages.
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For beef and lamb, choose cuts with good marbling (white flecks of fat within the muscle) for better flavor and juiciness. Avoid cuts with large pieces of external fat, grayish edges, or excessive liquid in the package.
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Don‘t be afraid to use your smartphone in-store to quickly look up meat cut and USDA grading guides. Bone up on the differences between Select, Choice, and Prime grades.
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For ground meat, check that there are no signs of grayness and that the meat is bright red or pink. Avoid packages with excessive liquid.
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Consider splurging on Walmart‘s premium lines (like USDA Choice Angus or Wagyu) for special occasions, as the quality control is likely to be higher.
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Always follow safe handling practices, including keeping the meat refrigerated, storing it properly, and cooking to recommended temperatures to minimize risk of foodborne illness.
The Bottom Line
After weighing the available evidence, I believe Walmart‘s meat department still has some work to do to fully shed its bad reputation and compete with specialty butchers and higher-end grocers on quality. While bargains can be found, Walmart‘s meat is not always the cheapest option, and concerns about freshness and consistency persist among many shoppers.
To its credit, Walmart has made strides in recent years to gain more control over its supply chain and implement better food handling practices. The company‘s new end-to-end sustainability program and in-house processing facility suggest a recognition that consumers‘ expectations around meat quality and transparency are evolving. But changing ingrained negative perceptions can be a slow process.
"It will be interesting to see if Walmart‘s new processing model and premium product lines translate into a real difference in the meat case," notes one grocery industry analyst. "They‘re saying the right things, but it will take time for shoppers to notice a positive change and reconsider Walmart as a meat destination."
My overall advice for shoppers would be to approach buying meat at Walmart with reasonable expectations and a very discerning eye. You may score a great deal on a delicious cut, but you‘re just as likely to have a disappointing experience if you don‘t carefully vet your selection. If your budget allows some wiggle room, consider voting with your dollars for grocers and butchers that are more consistent on quality, transparency, and customer service. And don‘t be afraid to politely provide feedback to Walmart store managers on your meat shopping experiences – the more consumers communicate their standards and push for improvements, the more pressure Walmart will face to up its game.
[^1]: Walmart, 2020 Annual Report[^2]: National Cattleman‘s Beef Association, 2017 Retail Sales Data
[^3]: Consumer Reports Grocery Store & Supermarket Ratings, 2017
[^4]: Piplsay, Grocery Shopping Trends & Statistics, 2020
[^5]: Various consumer reviews aggregated from Twitter, Reddit, Pissed Consumer
[^6]: U.S. Department of Agriculture, summary of Class I food recalls 2018-2020
[^7]: CNN, "Ground beef sold at Walmart, other stores recalled for possible E. coli contamination", June 2020
[^8]: The Atlantic, "Walmart‘s Downward Pressure on Retail Wages", 2017
[^9]: Walmart Policies & Guidelines for Suppliers
[^10]: Human Rights Watch, "US: Meatpacking Workers‘ Rights Under Threat", 2019
[^11]: Bloomberg, "Walmart Pork Supplier Targeted Over ‘Disturbing‘ Pig Treatment," 2018
[^12]: Walmart Sustainability Hub, "Providing Safer, Healthier Food"
[^13]: Supermarket News, "Walmart opens beef facility", 2020
[^14]: Meat + Poultry, "Walmart Beef Facility Grand Opening", 2020
[^15]: Walmart, "Driving Sustainability in the Beef Industry", 2021
[^16]: Business Insider, "Walmart vs. Aldi price comparison", 2019
