ManufactureThis has been looking at Wal-Mart stores for the past week, checking to see if the retail chain is indeed living up to its claim of selling mostly Made in USA goods. 

The New York Times reports that an increase in grocery sales has failed to revive merchandise sales at retail chains:

while [consumers] are spending more on food at Wal-Mart than they did a year ago, they are buying less in most other categories.

Wal-Mart may claim greater sales of Made-in-USA products, but it's only because people are buying little other than food in such a tight economy.

Continuing with our daily investigation, Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM) Field Coordinator Dan Lawson decided to check on the various sections of his local Wal-Mart in Salem, New Hampshire.

He took an interesting approach and asked his wife to make up a potential shopping list of groceries and household items.  He then walked into a Wal-Mart for the "first time in 17 years" to check where each item was made/grown.

What he found runs counter to some of Wal-Mart's claims that food and household goods are mostly sourced from the U.S.

GROCERIES

Apples, all from the USA
Green Peppers, Mexico
Iceberg Lettuce, United Arab Emirates
Grapes, Chile
McCormick Garlic Powder, China
Pringles potato snacks, Mexico

HOUSEHOLD GOODS AND APPLIANCES

Napkins, Wal-mart brand ,USA
Wisk laundry detergent, USA
Clorox Bleach, USA
Paper Shredder, China
Avery Labels all, Mexico
Dell Computers, Mexico and China
HP Computers, China
Steam Iron, eight models from $9.00  to $49.98, all made in China
Microwaves, nine models, China and Malaysia
Rubbermaid Storage bins, USA
Igloo Ice Chest, USA
Clock Radio, five models all from China
Paula Deen Cookware, Indonesia and China
Jack Lalanne Power Juicer, China

HOMEWARE

All bed sheets, India
Bed Pillows, China (some were outer shell made in China and filled in USA)
Memory foam bed topper, USA
All Blankets, China
16 assorted table lamps, China

SHOES

Men’s rubber muck boots, China
Dr. Scholl’s men’s dress shoes, China
Ozark Trail Boots, China
Faded Glory shoes (Wal-mart brand), China

CLOTHING

N.F.L. Licensed New England Patriot’s shirt, Nicaragua
M.L.B. Licensed Red Sox’s boys pajama set , China
N.F.L. Licensed Tom Brady Jersey, Guatemala
NASCAR Licensed Logo, and Driver shirts, Mexico
Wrangler Jeans, Mexico
Rustler Jeans, Mexico
Faded Glory Jeans, China

ASSORTED

Turtle wax car products, USA  waxes, cleaners, polishes
Baby Medicine Dispenser, China
Infant Nasal aspirator, China
Playtex Binky, China
Casco child car seat, USA
Graco Child car seat, China

Dan says he finds it ironic that most car products are made in the U.S., but products for infants are made mostly in China. 

So there you go-- a lengthy inventory of one Wal-Mart store.  Great work, Dan.