Walmart has officially denied rumors that it will change its store hours. The retail giant also confirmed that it does not plan to reinstate a popular policy at its stores across the US anytime soon.
Walmart 24-Hour Rumor Spreads Widely
A few days ago, numerous social media users claimed that Walmart would resume 24-hour operations in all its stores from August 14. The retail giant had stopped offering round-the-clock service in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A widely shared post on X, previously known as Twitter, stated, "Walmart has announced that starting June 3rd, all locations in the U.S. will go back to 24 hours."
These assertions were echoed and reshared thousands of times across various social media platforms.
Walmart has quashed the latest rumors suggesting a return to 24-hour operations. "There are no current plans to return our stores to 24-hour operations," stated Walmart spokesperson Joe Pennington in an email to Snopes.
This is not the first time such speculation has surfaced. Similar rumors circulated in 2022, with posts on social media claiming extended hours for the retailer.
One Facebook post claimed, "Great news for late-night shoplifters. 24-hour Walmart starts back August 14, 2022," and was shared thousands of times.
These rumors were debunked by USA Today following a response from Walmart, which clarified the misinformation.
Also Read: Shopper Outcry: Wegmans Customers Urge Preservation of Exclusive Store Design Element
Walmart's New Policies Stir Shopper Unrest
A Walmart shopper recently voiced frustration online over the store's enhanced receipt checks following self-checkout.
In another news from The U.S. Sun, Walmart routinely checks receipts as customers exit the store, whether they've used self-checkout or had their groceries scanned by an employee. Recently, this practice has sparked considerable frustration among shoppers.
One customer expressed dissatisfaction on Facebook, stating that the employee checking receipts was overly strict and slow. Overwhelmed by the experience, he bypassed the receipt check during his next visit.
As he left the store, ignoring the employee's calls, he held up his receipt above his head in protest.
He argued that if Walmart trusted him to use self-checkout, they shouldn't need to verify his purchases afterward. He preferred the return of more cashiers or less stringent checks after self-checkout, stating he no longer wanted to prove he had correctly scanned his items.
The sentiment was echoed by others in the comments section of his post, with some stating they refuse to use self-checkout or participate in receipt checks altogether.
One commenter mentioned they would require a significant reason to be detained, while another revealed they've stopped shopping in-store wholly, opting for delivery to avoid these issues.
The retailer has also implemented a controversial new policy at its self-checkout stations. Now, specific registers are exclusively available to Walmart+ members and delivery drivers.
This policy requires non-members to avoid these registers unless they subscribe to the $98-a-year membership, leading some customers to threaten to leave their carts and exit the store in protest.
Amid these changes, Walmart has been addressing another issue-refunding customers who were overcharged at the self-checkout in the past.
Related Article: Family Dollar Announces Permanent Closure in Four Days, 75% Off Sale to Follow
