Regulators in China are ordering Walmart subsidiary Sam's Club to address what the government described as "frequent food safety issues."
After Chinese authorities met recently with Sam's Club executives, regulators directed the company to better prioritize food safety, fulfill its social corporate responsibilities, and address risks across its supply chain, according to Reuters. This comes as the retailer has dealt with numerous food safety issues in China, with customers having reported finding live rats and maggots in Sam's Club products.
Sam's Club responded by vowing to improve its food safety measures and quality control, while adding that it will regularly report on its progress, and "proactively accept supervision" from the Chinese government. The company also set up a new internal task force to ensure that it complies with periodic supply chain inspection requirements.
Sam's Club has rapidly gained a foothold in China over the last year, after opening 10 new stores in the country in 2025, bringing its total to 63 nationwide. The company also changed the packaging sizes for several of its private label offerings to better fit the storage space and portion sizes of Chinese households.
