The National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureaus has slapped retail behemoth Wal-Mart, saying the company should change its advertising to avoid the claim that its
shoppers save an annual $2,500 per family. But the industry's self-regulating body also accepts Wal-Mart's overall position that its efficiency and size drive down consumer prices across the entire
U.S. economy. The company says it did not mean to imply only its shoppers were getting the savings.
"Wal-Mart is pleased that NAD has confirmed that the express claim, 'Wal-Mart Saves
the Average Family $2,500 per year,' which was the intended message, was substantiated," says Wal-Mart spokeswoman Linda Brown Blakley. "We were surprised by NAD's interpretation of an implied claim
but confirm, if we use it in future advertising, we would be proud to take their recommendation into account, ensuring that the positive impact we have for all American families is even more
explicit," Blakley adds.
NAD recommends that Wal-Mart modify or discontinue the implied advertising claim, made in TV and print ads that show families taking a vacation or buying a
car.
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