WalMart- Always Low Price...But at What Cost?

A recent national poll indicates that more than half of U.S. adults say that the low costs that Wal-Mart provides on its shelves bring about other costs in its workforce and benefits. The national poll--conducted by WakeUpWalMart.com, a union-funded group that has been pressuring Wal-Mart to raise employee wages and benefits-- claims that 56% of U.S. consumers believe that "Wal-Mart is bad for America. It may provide low prices, but these prices come with a high moral and economic cost for consumers."

Currently, Wal-Mart is facing a lot of fire from critits. As the largest U.S. private-sector employer, Wal-Mart faces intense pressure at home from unions, environmental gropus and others who say the company pays poverty-level wages, offers poor health-care benefits and gobbles up green space with its massive big-box stores. Wal-Mart is also defending itself in a record-large, class-action lawsuit that charges it with discriminating against women in pay and promotions.

Is Wal-Mart really so bad? Sure, Wal-Mart's got great prices on products, but can you put a price on "moral and economic costs" that apparently so many Americans feel are being imposed? Does this recent poll spell trouble for Wal-Mart?