As the largest retailer in the U.S., Walmart WMT certainly has its fair share of logistical solutions.
After all, you don't get a store location within 10 miles of 90% of the population without a little trial and error.
Related: Honda's latest invention might be its most beloved yet
Even so, with over 10,000 stores, Walmart doesn't get by without a couple of hiccups. The massive retailer has recently been not-so-quietly struggling with a bout of retail crime, recently installing a police substation in one of its Atlanta-based stores.
"Theft is an issue. It’s higher than what it has historically been. We’ve got safety measures, security measures that we’ve put in place by store location," Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said in late 2022. "I think local law enforcement being staffed and being a good partner is part of that equation, and that’s normally how we approach it. If that’s not corrected over time, prices will be higher, and/or stores will close."
As of June 2023, 22 Walmart stores had closed. Four of those stores were in Chicago alone (eight were in Illinois).
The closures hurt communities as much as they hurt Walmart employees.
"These stores lose tens of millions of dollars a year, and their annual losses nearly doubled in just the last five years," Walmart wrote in a press release, adding, "We have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in the city... It was hoped that these investments would help improve our stores’ performance. Unfortunately, these efforts have not materially improved the fundamental business challenges our stores are facing."
But it isn't just crime that Walmart has been trying to solve for. At times, the super retailer has to grapple with a massive overflow and inventory problems as consumer tastes shift and, occasionally, technology gives out.
Video captures Walmart goods being disposed of
A recent TikTok video captured by @tio.silverfox showed the outside of a Walmart throwing away large amounts of food and other goods. The video, which has since gained one million views, showed perishable items like meats, yogurts, coffee creamers, Lunchables, and other foods packed away in carts, "wasted," as the TikToker described it.
"It's a sad day at Walmart," he is heard saying on the video. "All this food wasted."
View the original article to see embedded media.
The user also says "pray for the person who knocked out the transformer," suggesting Walmart may have had a power outage and was forced to dispose of its perishable goods for safety reasons.
Still, that didn't prevent some users from chiming in.
"I would grab all the iced teas," one user commented. "Who says they need to stay refrigerated?"
"give it to the homeless," another suggested.
"As soon as they knew they would not be able to save it, they should have started giving it away!!" another wrote.
"Billion dollar company they don't have a backup generator?" one questioned.
TheStreet has reached out to Walmart for comment.
