As we reported yesterday, Wal-Mart has been in the news for claiming that most of the products it sells are American-made goods. As Parija Kavilanz explained in a CNN Money article, the retail chain has been selling mostly groceries and household goods lately (like toilet paper), many of which are grown or made in the U.S. However, the chain's higher value items, like electronics and appliances, are still typically made overseas.
The Consumerist's Chris Morran has picked up on the story, reporting that "more people now go to Walmart to buy affordable groceries and not for foreign-made items like electronics and cheap apparel."
ManufactureThis has decided to start sampling various Wal-Mart's throughout the United States to assess whether or not the retailer is offering more American-made goods.
Our first investigation comes courtesy of Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM) Indiana Field Coordinator Michael Mitchell, who browsed the aisles of a Wal-Mart in Hobart, Indiana. Mitchell looked into clothing and televisions. Only a U.S. flag was made in USA (see accompanying photos):
- woman’s dress, Made in Cambodia
- woman’s jeans, Made in Bangladesh
- men’s shorts, Made in China
- Philip’s TV, Made in China
- Samsung TV, Made in Mexico
- U.S. Flags, Made in USA
ManufactureThis will continue to report on its inventories of various Wal-Mart stores. Stay tuned.
