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[[Image:Walmart.jpg|thumb|The Wal-Mart logo and slogan]]

[[Image:Walmart.jpg|right|thumb|250px|The Wal-Mart logo and slogan]]

'''Wal-Mart''' is America's largest employer,<ref>[[Christian Science Monitor]]. [http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/0219/p01s04-usec.html Wal-Mart: world's largest company]</ref> running a chain of department stores. The company was founded by [[Sam Walton]] in Arkansas in 1962.  Walton was a [[Christian]] and tried to make his store pro-family.  The current Wal-Mart CEO is Lee Scott. Wal-Mart also owns the "Asda" chain of superstores across the [[United Kingdom]].

'''Wal-Mart''' is America's largest employer,<ref>[[Christian Science Monitor]]. [http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/0219/p01s04-usec.html Wal-Mart: world's largest company]</ref> running a chain of department stores. The company was founded by [[Sam Walton]] in Arkansas in 1962.  Walton was a [[Christian]] and tried to make his store pro-family.  The current Wal-Mart CEO is Lee Scott. Wal-Mart also owns the "Asda" chain of superstores across the [[United Kingdom]].

==Wal-Mart in the U.K.==

==Wal-Mart in the U.K.==

Wal-Mart entered the U.K. in 1999 following its purchase of the Asda supermarket chain, taking over around 300 stores which remain under the Asda brand name. Wal-Mart's performance, however, has failed to meet Wall Street's expectations, and its 16% share of British grocery spending has not changed over the last eight years, partly because of the company's inability to pursue its usual expansion strategy of oversaturating markets. In the United States Wal-Mart has driven its growth by building massive superstores that dwarf all of a town's existing businesses combined and that are spaced relatively close together across a region. This strategy has enabled Wal-Mart to overwhelm local economies and force out tens of thousands of small businesses through over-development.  

Wal-Mart entered the U.K. in 1999 following its purchase of the Asda supermarket chain, taking over around 300 stores which remain under the Asda brand name. Wal-Mart's performance, however, has failed to meet Wall Street's expectations, and its 16% share of British grocery spending has not changed over the last eight years, partly because of the company's inability to pursue its usual expansion strategy of oversaturating markets. In the United States Wal-Mart has driven its growth by building massive superstores that dwarf all of a town's existing businesses combined and that are spaced relatively close together across a region. This strategy has enabled Wal-Mart to overwhelm local economies and force out tens of thousands of small businesses through over-development.  

[[Image:Asda.jpg|right|thumb|300px|The company's U.K. logo]]

[[Image:Asda.jpg|right|thumb|250px|The company's U.K. logo]]

Wal-Mart has had more difficulty employing this tactic in the U.K. due to the legislation known as "Planning Policy Statement 6" (''PPS6''), which requires local governments to keep retail development in town centers and to limit retail development on the outskirts unless there is a clear, well-defined need.<ref>''Planning Policy Statement 6: Planning for Town Centres'' [http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/england/professionals/en/1020432884848.html Planning Portal]. Accessed 22 January 2008</ref> Wal-Mart has lobbied heavily for the removal of the "needs test".  

Wal-Mart has had more difficulty employing this tactic in the U.K. due to the legislation known as "Planning Policy Statement 6" (''PPS6''), which requires local governments to keep retail development in town centers and to limit retail development on the outskirts unless there is a clear, well-defined need.<ref>''Planning Policy Statement 6: Planning for Town Centres'' [http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/england/professionals/en/1020432884848.html Planning Portal]. Accessed 22 January 2008</ref> Wal-Mart has lobbied heavily for the removal of the "needs test".