Part 3/13:
While big box retailers like Walmart and Target offer an abundance of products at low prices, these prices come at the expense of local businesses. The relentless competition from these megastores often results in the closure of surrounding shops, neutering the local economy. The situation worsened after the enforcement of regulatory protections like the Robinson-Patman Act weakened in the 1950s, allowing large chains to dominate markets by leveraging volume discounts and loss leaders.