Walmart’s price drop—but not for you
Walmart just announced it’s extending its 10% employee discount to all food items—a major perk for its 1.6 million U.S. workers. Until now, the discount only covered fresh produce and general merchandise like clothes and gadgets.
So if you’ve clocked in at Walmart for at least 90 days, congratulations: your next shopping trip just got a little cheaper. Stick around for 20 years, and you get a lifetime discount card—a permanent golden ticket to 10% off everything from apples to frozen pizza.
But what if you’re one of Walmart’s customers? Sorry—this discount isn’t for you. Your grocery bill is still riding the inflation roller coaster, and no employee perk is going to slow it down.
A 50-year-old perk, not a public price cut
Walmart’s Discount Card programme has been around for more than five decades. It’s essentially an employee thank-you card, not a nationwide price policy. And while the new food discount covers 95% of regularly priced items, it’s only for associates, not the general public.
The timing does make it feel like Walmart is offering relief just as grocery prices hit wallets hard. But think of it this way: this isn’t Walmart cutting prices for America—it’s Walmart raising benefits for Walmart workers.
Food prices are still climbing
Why won’t you see lower prices at the checkout line? Because food inflation isn’t slowing as much as people hoped.
- Overall food prices are up 2.9% over the past year.
- Groceries (food at home) rose 2.2%.
- Restaurant meals (food away from home) climbed 3.9%.
Even though the government’s “food at home index” dipped a tiny 0.1% recently, the big picture tells another story: since 2020, food costs have risen more than 23%.
Add in wages that aren’t keeping pace—many retail workers make around $14 an hour—and you can see why shoppers are sounding the alarm online. As one frustrated customer wrote, “This is pretty terrifying… I can’t imagine what the price of food and necessities is going to be like soon.”
Read this later:
Simply magic: Krispy Kreme reveals Harry Potter inspired collection
Why employee discounts don’t fix shelf prices
Employee perks are just that—perks. They don’t reflect Walmart’s actual pricing strategy for shoppers. Extending the 10% discount to food helps employees stretch their pay cheques, but doesn’t change what you pay in the store.
Meanwhile, Walmart’s costs are rising. The price hikes customers see on everything from toys (up from $20 to $55 in a month—ouch) to basic groceries aren’t just corporate greed; suppliers are charging more, shipping costs are up, and inflation is still baked into the system.
One industry insider summed it up: “Walmart is truly paying more for the products… this will kill all businesses, big and small.”
What it means for shoppers
- Good news for workers: A family of four with a Walmart employee can now save a meaningful amount on their weekly food bill.
- No change for everyone else: If you’re not wearing a Walmart name tag, prices stay the same.
- Grocery bills still high: Even small dips in inflation won’t undo years of steady price growth.
A perk, not a price revolution
Walmart deserves credit for giving its workforce a break. For a cashier working part-time, 10% off all food can free up serious cash. But don’t confuse this with a nationwide price cut—Walmart isn’t suddenly discounting your cereal, milk, or chicken wings.
Think of it as Walmart saying “thanks for stocking the shelves” rather than “thanks for shopping here.” And if you want that discount? Well, you could always apply for a job—after 90 days, your grocery bill might shrink.
