Walmart CEO’s four-step solution to bringing down prices

WALMART’s CEO has unveiled his four-step solution to bringing down prices as he promises more American-made products on the shelves.

In a move aimed at protecting shoppers from the fallout of global trade wars and tariffs, the retail giant is offering free resources to thousands of homegrown entrepreneurs.

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Dubbed “Grow with US”, the new four-step programme gives small American firms the chance to grow — offering a plethora of tools to help with their expansion.

These include free training, mentorship, and retail know-how to help get products stocked nationwide.

Walmart US CEO and president John Furner told Axios: “We anticipate thousands of small businesses will take advantage of these free resources over the coming years”.

The move is part of a wider $350 billion pledge Walmart made back in 2021 to pump money into products made in the US.

It predicts this commitment it will create a whopping 750,000 jobs by the end of the decade.

More than two-thirds of the products in U.S. Walmart stores are already domestically sourced, according to CFO John David Rainey.

But with China and Mexico still major players in its supply chain, Walmart is keen to bolster its American-made products.

The new programme is also tied to Walmart’s “Open Call 2025” – a yearly opportunity for small and medium-size companies to pitch their products to the firm.

This year’s event will be held on October 7 and 8 in Bentonville, Arkansas but application open on June 24.

Similar initiatives in Mexico and India have helped more than 70,000 small businesses flourish globally.

“Investing in small businesses leads to a better shopping experience, more choice for our customers, and stronger communities,” Furner added.

This comes as Walmart’s CEO reportedly issued a stark warning to US leaders over unavoidable price changes and empty shelves.

Doug McMillon and other retail executives admitted that supermarkets will see overhaul changes in just two weeks.

After their meeting with the White House on Monday, the brands thanked Trump for hearing their perspectives on the changes.

In a statement, Walmart said, “We had a productive meeting with President Trump and his team and appreciated the opportunity to share our insights.”

Target also described the conversation as “productive” and said, “We remain committed to delivering value for American consumers.”

Although the executives didn’t divulge what happened in the meeting room, they’ve been honest about how tariffs can affect the average consumer.

When Trump was first elected, Walmart CFO John David Rainey admitted that shoppers would pay the extra costs.

He told CNBC, “There probably will be cases where prices will go up for consumers.”

And Target’s CEO Brian Cornell also warned that prices of goods from Mexico would surely see a bump in an interview with CNBC last month.

“If there’s a 25% tariff, those prices will go up,” Cornell said.

TARIFF FEARS

Tea, avocados, sneakers, home furniture, bananas, video games, clothes, toys, and foreign-made cars are all expected to become much more expensive under Trump’s trade plan.

In a disturbing comment, billionaire Mark Cuban warned that companies may start charging more even if a product isn’t affected.

“Even if it’s made in the USA, they will jack up the price and blame it on tariffs,” he wrote on BlueSky.

Countries are racing to strike a deal with the US before the 90-day reciprocal tariff pause runs out, according to the White House.

Trump has insisted that his overhaul plan will bring an economic boon to America, and believes his charges to other countries promote global fairness.

On Tuesday, he praised negotiation efforts and predicted that the 145% levy on Chinese goods will “come down substantially.”

“But it won’t be zero,” he said.