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Walmart, the world’s largest retailer, is cutting prices on thousands of products across its US stores this summer, including ground beef, fresh produce, soft drinks and household essentials, as it seeks to ease the pressure on consumers after years of persistent inflation.
The move comes amid growing political focus on the cost of living in the United States, with President Donald Trump claiming the retailer acted following a request from his administration and urging other retailers to follow suit.
Walmart said customers shopping at its Walmart and Sam’s Club stores will see lower prices on a wide range of products, from groceries and beverages to toys, apparel and home goods.
Ground beef, cherries and soft drinks among biggest discounts
Among the most notable price reductions, Walmart said the price of a one-pound roll of 73 per cent ground beef will fall to $5.94 from $6.74, a reduction of about 12 per cent.
The retailer is also halving the price of cherries, reducing the cost of a 24-pack of Coca-Cola by nearly one-third to $9.97, and lowering prices on PepsiCo snacks, household products, clothing and children’s toys.
At Sam’s Club, the price of Member’s Mark 88/12 ground beef will decline to $5.97 per pound from $6.17, representing a roughly 3 per cent reduction.
Walmart said the initiative is designed to help shoppers stretch their budgets during the busy summer shopping season.
Trump calls Walmart ‘patriotic’
Minutes before Walmart formally announced the price cuts, Trump praised the retailer on Truth Social, describing the move as a significant win for American consumers.
“This is a huge deal for the many millions of Americans who, smartly, shop at Walmart, which is a truly patriotic company,” Trump wrote.
He later added that Walmart was “stepping up in a big and bold way” and said other retailers should follow the company’s example.
Trump also claimed Walmart agreed to lower the price of ground beef by “almost” 15 per cent after discussions with his administration, although Walmart’s own figures indicate a reduction closer to 12 per cent.
Inflation remains a political flashpoint
While Walmart has built its brand around everyday low prices for decades, affordability has become an increasingly important political issue as Americans continue to grapple with elevated food prices.
Although overall inflation has moderated from its post-pandemic peak, grocery prices remain significantly higher than they were just a few years ago, with beef emerging as one of the biggest pain points for households.
According to US Labor Department data, ground beef prices were 12 per cent higher in May than a year earlier, making it one of the fastest-rising food categories.
The surge has been driven largely by supply shortages rather than weak competition.
Persistent drought conditions across major cattle-producing regions have damaged pasture land and sharply increased feed costs, prompting ranchers to reduce herd sizes. Economists say rebuilding US cattle inventories could take several years, keeping beef prices elevated in the near term.
White House steps up efforts to lower food prices
The Walmart announcement comes as the Trump administration intensifies efforts to bring down food costs.
Last week, the administration pledged up to $500 million to support small and medium-sized meat processors in an effort to maintain cattle slaughter capacity despite high livestock prices squeezing industry margins.
The White House has also directed senior advisers, including Peter Navarro and Stephen Miller, to identify measures that could lower consumer prices.
In recent months, the Department of Justice launched an investigation into the country’s four largest meatpacking companies following Trump’s calls to examine whether processors had coordinated to keep beef prices artificially high.
The administration had also explored temporarily suspending tariffs on imported beef to increase supply and ease prices. However, those plans were delayed after facing opposition from congressional Republicans and U.S. cattle producers.
Separately, Washington has continued restrictions on imports of Mexican cattle because of concerns over the spread of the New World screwworm parasite, further tightening domestic beef supplies.
Walmart leverages scale to ease consumer pressure
Behind the scenes, Walmart has argued that policies such as lower tariffs and cheaper fuel can help retailers keep prices low because of their purchasing scale.
The company has repeatedly positioned itself as a key player in helping American consumers manage inflation by using its buying power to negotiate lower costs from suppliers.
The latest price reductions reinforce Walmart’s strategy of attracting shoppers through aggressive pricing at a time when affordability remains one of the biggest concerns for US households and a central issue in the country’s political debate.
