Walmart Eyes Local Products as National Consumer Mood Sours

Walmart is reportedly expanding its local product lineup to attract an extremely pinched American consumer.

According to a report Thursday (April 30) from Bloomberg News, this effort is happening in markets such as Florida, where Walmart stores have begun stocking more Cuban-inspired coffee and beans from a local producer. In other states, the company is offering local brands of condiments like mustard and mayonnaise.

The report adds that although regionally sourced items are nothing new, Walmart is aiming to stretch beyond its current assortment and prioritizing this work based on customer response.

A spokesperson for the retail giant told Bloomberg Walmart is melding together technology and merchant expertise to understand which products local customers value, and then quickly getting them on shelves.

Bloomberg notes there’s a balancing act in play: Local products can draw in more customers, but the vendors behind these items are typically smaller and can face more supply chain issues than national brands.

The report also points out retailers are feeling pressured, as rising gas prices and declining consumer sentiment makes consumers more cautious about spending.

In fact, consumer sentiment is now at a historically bad place because of the price of fuel. Last week, the University of Michigan’s Index of Consumer Sentiment fell to the lowest level recorded in its nearly 75-year history due to gas prices.

The connection between the cost of gas and consumer sentiment was seen earlier in the month, when gas prices softened after the announcement of a two-week ceasefire in the U.S-Iran war, followed by a modest uptick in consumer sentiment.

As for Walmart, research by PYMNTS Intelligence shows that the company and rival Amazon are now courting the same shoppers.

“The data shows that Amazon still leads in the fun, non-essential stuff, while Walmart dominates in necessities,” PYMNTS wrote earlier this month.

For example, Amazon captured 35% of consumer spending on sporting goods, hobby items, music and books, while Walmart enjoys 21% of food and beverage spend. However, both retailers are pushing into the other’s territory while also serving as “each other’s best teachers,” the report added.

“What’s changing is how aggressively both retailers are moving beyond those traditional lanes,” Doug Straton, chief marketing officer at Bazaarvoice (and former chief digital officer of Hershey), said in an interview with PYMNTS.

“Walmart is expanding its digital and marketplace capabilities to compete in more discovery-driven categories, while Amazon is pushing further into everyday essentials and repeat purchases.”