Yet another calculation finds that Walmart could pay its workers a living wage without having to raise prices significantly. Last fall, the progressive think tank Demos concluded that Walmart could pay workers
$14.89 an hour without raising prices, just by ending stock buybacks. Now, a Marketplace and Slate report finds that Walmart could pay workers a living wage of $13.63 and
only raise the price on a box of mac and cheese by a penny:
This calculation of Walmart's wages and pricing comes as part of a report on food stamps—the original question was, basically, how much would Walmart have to pay its workers to raise them out of eligibility for nutrition assistance, and what effect would that have on prices? The answer is Walmart can afford to pay, and most consumers wouldn't even notice the price increases—which might not even be that big, if Walmart also had increased business from low-wage workers who could suddenly afford to spend more, or if the company decided not to pass the full cost along to consumers. (After all, Walmart is profitable enough for all those stock buybacks.)