Wednesday, July 2, 2025

Walmart reverses decision on seniors bagging groceries

Walmart’s grocery baggers will be allowed to return to their duties after they were sent home last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and asked not to come back in December due to a change in customer preferences.

Some 35,000 Mexicans, most aged between 60 and 74, packed groceries for tips through a government-backed volunteer program before the pandemic.

Walmart confirmed that correspondence with the National Institute for the Elderly (Inapam) and the Ministry of Economic Development of Mexico City had helped to resolve the matter. “Where the epidemiological traffic light is green, older adults who are already fully vaccinated are allowed to resume their work as volunteer packers,” it said in a statement.

The supermarket chain had previously announced that the positions were unavailable based on sanitary reasons. “We have observed that our clients want to avoid third parties having contact with the merchandise,” it said at the end of last year.

Dozens of affected seniors marched on the National Palace last week, demanding that the president aid their cause, and customers joined a boycott in support with the hashtag #YoNoComproEnWalmart (“I don’t buy from Walmart”).

Heeding their call, the president said officials would speak to the retailer.

Walmart has assured customers that any assistance from the grocery baggers is entirely optional. “For customers who prefer to continue packing their purchases, they will be able to let our cashiers know,” the retailer said.

The U.S. supermarket giant has 10,526 stores and clubs in 24 countries, operating under 48 different names. In Mexico it sells through Walmart, Walmart Express, Superama y Bodega Aurrerá.

With reports from Reforma and Reuters

Have something to say? Paid Subscribers get all access to make & read comments.
An aerial view of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, showcasing its dense urban landscape and iconic architectural landmarks under a bright, clear sky. In the foreground, vibrant green trees partially obscure the view. The colonial-era city is characterized by warm, earthy tones like ochre, terracotta, and cream. Prominently featured in the midground is the Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel, a striking neo-Gothic church with a pinkish-orange facade and towering spires.

MND Local: San Miguel de Allende July news roundup

0
Catch up with San Miguel de Allende's local news for July as the city beefs up security, raises bus fares and gears up for a week-long culture festival.
Mexico's budget deficit

Mexico slashes budget deficit by US $8.5B as tax collection surges 8.9%

6
A 38.4% boost in revenue from import taxes and a 5.3% decrease in public spending from January-May helped to majorly reduce Mexico's budget deficit.
the commute from Tijuana to San Diego

Number of cross-border workers from Baja California drops 20%

0
INEGI data showed that Baja California residents who commute regularly to work in Southern California stood at 70,642 in Q1 of 2025, down from 87,190 in the first quarter of 2024.