We get it. Walmart is a convenient, one-stop-shop for most of your grocery and other household needs. While it can be a great place to pick up inexpensive clothes, cookware, and grocery items, there are some things you should avoid. Like ground beef. Here are a few reasons to get your beef, and other meats, elsewhere.
Cost
One of the biggest draws to Walmart are the low prices. We assume this box store offers the lowest price, and we’re often willing to sacrifice a little quality to save some money. You might be surprised to find that the ground beef at Walmart is often at least a dollar more expensive per pound than at other stores like Aldi and Costco. While this might not seem like much, think about how much meat you buy every year. That cost really adds up!
Quality
So, ground beef is pricier at Walmart, but does that mean it’s higher quality? That would be a hard no. In fact many customers have rated the ground beef they purchased from Walmart as gristly, tough to eat, and even containing chunks of organs. This is partially due to the fact that the meat is processed as “shelf-ready,” which means it was packaged in a warehouse somewhere and shipped to the store, as opposed to being ground right there on site. Processing plants tend to use a lot of fillers like saline solution.
Promised Changes
In an attempt to address these issues, Walmart CEO, Doug McMillon, has said they are working on a dedicated end-to-end supply chain of quality angus beef. However, financial analysts say this is not likely to take place, seeing as no supply chain could handle all of Walmart’s needs. Until the details are worked out, it’s probably best to purchase your meat elsewhere.
