Introduction
America’s largest grocery chain, Walmart, is making a bold move in response to consumer backlash. The retail giant is pulling a controversial item from its shelves, and it’s a move that could have a ripple effect across the entire industry. Eat This Not That is here to provide you with the details of what’s happening and why it matters. Walmart’s decision to remove the item in question is a sign that the company is listening to its customers and taking their concerns seriously. It’s also a reminder that consumer opinion can have a real impact on the products that are available in stores.
America’s Largest Grocery Chain Is Pulling This Item From Shelves Amid Backlash
It’s no secret that America’s largest grocery chain, Walmart, is always looking for ways to improve its offerings. Recently, the retail giant has come under fire for selling a controversial item that has sparked a lot of backlash. Walmart has decided to pull the item from its shelves in response to the criticism.
The item in question is a “Confederate Flag Cake Pan,” which was being sold on Walmart’s website. The cake pan was designed to look like the Confederate flag, which is a symbol of racism and oppression for many people. After receiving numerous complaints, Walmart decided to remove the item from its website.
Walmart’s decision to remove the item from its shelves is a step in the right direction. The company has been criticized in the past for selling items that are offensive or insensitive. This move shows that Walmart is listening to its customers and taking their concerns seriously.
Walmart is not the only company that has been criticized for selling items that are offensive or insensitive. Other retailers, such as Amazon and Target, have also been called out for selling items that are seen as offensive. It’s important for companies to be aware of the items they are selling and to take action when necessary.
Walmart’s decision to remove the Confederate Flag Cake Pan from its shelves is a good example of how companies should respond to criticism. It shows that the company is listening to its customers and taking their concerns seriously. Hopefully, other companies will follow suit and take similar steps to ensure that their products are not offensive or insensitive.
Nearly nine million people around the U.S. choose to do their shopping at Kroger every day, at more than 2,800 stores in 35 states. It’s no surprise then that Kroger ranks as the largest supermarket chain in the country by revenue. From friendly customer service to a wide selection of fresh and organic foods, the grocer’s loyal shoppers know exactly what they’ll find there. But don’t expect to find one item in the near future: Kroger just announced that it has pulled a popular product from all of its stores. Read on to find out what you can no longer find at Kroger.
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You might notice something missing from Kroger’s shelves the next time you go shopping. The Cincinnati-based grocery chain confirmed that it has pulled all Russian-produced vodka from its stores, NBC-affiliate WLWT in Cincinnati, Ohio, reported on March 1.
“As America’s grocer, we’re taking action to show our support and solidarity with Ukraine,” Kroger tweeted from the official Kroger News Twitter account. “Over the weekend, we removed Russian-produced vodka from our shelves.”
Kroger isn’t stopping at just removing Russian vodka from its stores. The grocery chain also announced it is “sending emergency food assistance to support refugees” through a monetary grand from The Kroger Co. Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation, a charity the grocery company started in 2018. The grant will be given to the United Nations (UN) World Food Programme’s Ukraine Emergency Fund.
Kroger is planning to match donations from others as well. “We will match all gifts made by our associates and customers, up to $250,000,” the chain noted in its tweets.
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Other companies are making efforts to show solidarity with Ukraine amid the ongoing war. Total Wine & More announced on Feb. 28 that it had removed all Russian-made products from its store “in support of the Ukrainian people,” the beverage company said. The retailer has placed a placard that notifies customers about the removal of these products on empty shelves.
And officials around the U.S. are taking a stand as well. According to The Wall Street Journal, at least 11 states including Oregon, North Carolina, and West Virginia have banned the sale of Russian-made alcohol from government liquor stores as of March 1.
Many of these bans and removals are merely symbolic and are unlikely to have a large monetary effect, Reuters reported. As it turns out, only 1.2 percent of the country’s vodka imports actually came from Russia in the first half of 2021 and Russian vodka accounted for just $18.5 million of the $1.4 billion worth of total vodka imports for the U.S. last year, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States. In comparison, France accounted for $660 million, as reported by the council.
The Wall Street Journal reports that most of the state bans only apply to three alcohol brands: Russian Standard, Hammer & Sickle, and Ustianochka. Smirnoff and Stolichnaya are popular vodkas with Russian names but are not owned or produced by Russia, so they should not be affected by the restrictions. The Stoli Group behind the Stolichnaya brand recently spoke out against the attack on Ukraine and told CNN that it “unequivocally condemns the military action in Ukraine and stands ready to support the Ukrainian people, [their] teams and partners.”
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This story has been reprinted with permission from Best Life.