Wal-Mart Effect
A FRONTLINE- Documentary (90 min.)

For retailers everywhere, China has quickly become the cheapest, most reliable production platform in the world. For Wal-Mart, America’s largest retailer, China is the source of $15 billion in annual exports that help it deliver “Everyday Low Prices” to 100 million customers a week. Some economists credit Wal-Mart with holding down the US rate of inflation. But with 700,000 US manufacturing jobs lost to China in the last decade, critics blame retail mega-chains like Wal-Mart for sending US industry abroad and lowering the standard of living for working America.  Are Americans shopping themselves out of jobs? In The Wal-Mart Effect, FRONTLINE explores the costs behind Wal-Mart’s bargains.