Wal-Mart Matters.(Opinion Pulse)

Wal-Mart is more popular than business corporations in general these days. Nearly two thirds of the U.S. public give the megastore an overall favorable rating, compared to 57 percent who feel that way about business corporations in general. In the past year, more than four in ten Americans have shopped at Wal-Mart regularly, and 91 percent say there is a store close to where they live.

Question: Is your overall opinion of ...?

[GRAPHIC OMITTED]

 
Question: Where you live, is there ...? 
 
There is a Wal-Mart near enough    91% 
to where live to shop at 
Is not                              8% 
Don't know                          1% 
 
Note: Table made from pie chart. 
 
Question: During the past 12 months ...? 
 
Shopped at Wal-Mart regularly    42% 
Once in a while                  42% 
Did not                          16% 
 
Note: Table made from pie chart. 

Many criticisms have been leveled at Wal-Mart, but the public isn't buying them. Overall, 81 percent of those who live near a Wal-Mart think it is a good place to shop and 68 percent say it has had a good effect oil their community. Nearly as many (64 percent nationally) say the Big Box store has a good effect on the country. Minorities and those with less income rate Wal-Mart especially highly. Union households believe that Wal-Mart has had a good effect on their communities and also on the country.

 
Question: Would you say Wal-Mart is a ...? * 
 
Question: Since Wal-Mart arrived in the area where you live, 
do you think it has had a ...? * 
 
Question: Overall, do you think Wal-Mart ...