Wal-Mart grapples with pricing issues

HTT Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 2/22/2011 4:21:08 PM

Bentonville, Ark. - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said labor and higher cotton prices are affecting apparel and home categories.
"In softlines, we're consolidating suppliers to improve purchasing power and leveraging our buying power with raw material suppliers," said Walmart U.S. president and ceo Bill Simon during the company's analyst call this morning.
He said the company is working with its suppliers to hold down costs and will only pass on price increases "when they cannot be avoided."