Sam's Club faces backlash

Sam's Club, the membership-only retail chain owned by Walmart Inc, is under fire from Chinese consumers over its recent introduction of mass market snacks that critics claim fall short of the brand's promise of premium, carefully curated offerings.

Since early July, online users on platforms like RedNote and Weibo have voiced concerns that Sam's Club is selling products such as Orion pies, Weilong Konjac delights and Panpan's walnut vanilla puffs — snacks commonly found in ordinary supermarkets — calling into question the company's quality control and product selection standards.

A focal point of the criticism is a 48-pack of Orion pies, marketed at Sam's Club for 49.9 yuan ($7) as a low-sugar option with 30 percent more cocoa. However, consumers comparing its ingredient list to that of the regular version found no major improvements. Both versions still contain additives like shortening and acesulfame potassium, often criticized for potential health risks. In fact, the Sam's Club version was found to have a higher fat content than the standard product.