Are you really saving money by shopping at Walmart?

Everyday Low Prices. That’s the cornerstone of Walmart’s marketing strategy, which includes pushing salt, sugar, and saturated fat on every shopper as they pass through its candy- and soda-laden checkout aisles. The strategy works—people buy extra calories they didn’t plan on (they’re called impulse buys for a reason).

Consumption of sugary beverages like soda, sugary juice drinks, sports drinks, and energy drinks, which are sold in Walmart checkout aisles, increase the risk of (type 2) diabetes. In addition to being a leading cause of death, treating diabetes costs patients an average of nearly $11,000 each year.

If Walmart really wants to help customers save money, it should ditch the junk food at checkout and offer healthier alternatives, like fruit, nuts, and sparkling water, and more nonfood items.

Some retailers are already moving in that direction. Northgate González Markets in California and Harmons Grocery in Utah found that healthier lanes are good for business and their customers. Even some national supermarket and pharmacy chains in the U.S. (Aldi and CVS) are moving toward healthier checkouts. In the UK, Lidl, Aldi, Boots, and Tesco have adopted candy-free checkouts.

Meanwhile, Walmart and most national supermarket chains are still pushing candy, soda, chips, and other unhealthy snacks at checkout, which boosts sales at the expense of their customer’s wellbeing.

It’s time for the largest food retailer in the United States to act responsibly and offer customers the healthier choices they are looking for, instead of pushing snacks that harm their health and their wallets. Please sign the petition to urge Walmart’s CEO to offer healthier options in the chain’s checkout aisles.
Dear Mr. McMillon:

I am writing to ask you to stop marketing candy, soda, and other unhealthy snacks at checkout. As the nation’s largest food retailer, Walmart should be a leader in responsible business practices.

Increasingly, grocery stores are responding to consumer demand for healthier options that are lower in salt, saturated fat, and sugar. That includes not only mid-size chains like Northgate González Markets in California and Harmons Grocery in Utah, but national chains like Aldi and CVS as well.

In a country where many people, including children, struggle to eat well and maintain a healthy weight, the last thing we need is grocery stores pushing junk food at checkout. In fact, 80% of Americans think that supermarkets should do more to make it easier for people to healthfully. What will you do to improve the options in your stores’ checkout lanes?

Sincerely,

[Your Name Here]
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