The Visual Capitalist added another graphic example of the increasing concentration, monopolization, of markets, in this case for groceries. Even here in Hudson NY we can see the impact of Walmart locally. Two years ago we had three large supermarkets within 4 miles. Price Chopper gave up the ghost leaving us with two, Walmart and ShopRite.
While it’s more likely for a small town to become dominated by a single grocer, Walmart’s clout isn’t exclusive to rural America. Even in Springfield, Missouri — with a regional population of half a million people — the big box retailer still boasts a sizable market share of 66%.
…..
Under guidelines established by the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, markets in which one corporation captures more than 50% of revenue are defined as “highly concentrated.” Walmart’s market share meets or exceeds this measure in 43 metropolitan areas and 160 smaller markets around the United States.1
| Rank | Metro/Region | Population | Walmart Market Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Atchison, Kansas | 16,580 | 95% |
| #2 | Portales, New Mexico | 19,730 | 95% |
| #3 | Sterling, Colorado | 22,068 | 91% |
| #4 | Deming, New Mexico | 24,699 | 90% |
| #5 | Guymon, Oklahoma | 21,385 | 90% |
| #6 | North Platte, Nebraska | 37,043 | 87% |
| #7 | Wahpeton, N.D.– Minnesota | 23,036 | 84% |
| #8 | Coffeyville, Kansas | 33,434 | 83% |
| #9 | Othello, Washington | 19,806 | 83% |
| #10 | Bismarck, North Dakota | 135,654 | 83% |
| #11 | Helena-West Helena, Arkansas | 20,176 | 80% |
| #12 | Altus, Oklahoma | 25,931 | 77% |
| #13 | Parsons, Kansas | 20,761 | 77% |
| #14 | Miami, Oklahoma | 32,260 | 77% |
| #15 | Sweetwater, Texas | 15,101 | 77% |
| #16 | Grenada, Mississippi | 21,706 | 76% |
| #17 | Huron, South Dakota | 18,082 | 75% |
| #18 | Greensburg, Indiana | 26,711 | 74% |
| #19 | Clarksdale, Mississippi | 25,085 | 74% |
| #20 | Dumas, Texas | 22,485 | 74% |
Earlier Posts on Monopolies and Their Consequences
Monopoly and Facebook – as told by Facebook’s co-founder
Recently Noted – Robert Reich video ”The Monopolization of America”
The New Digital Monopoly Capitalism
Footnotes
- Routley, Nick. “Visualizing Walmart’s Domination of the U.S. Grocery Market.” Visual Capitalist. Accessed November 21, 2019. https://www.visualcapitalist.com/walmart-grocery-market-concentration/.
