Fast and Flawed Inspections of Factories Abroad

Inspectors came and went from a Wal-Mart-certified factory in Guangdong Province in China, approving its production of more than $2 million in specialty items that would land on Wal-Mart's shelves in time for Christmas. After the collapse of the Rana Plaza factory in Bangladesh in April killed 1,129 workers, the world's biggest retailers agreed to tighten inspection standards and upgrade safety measures. But unknown to the inspectors, none of the playful items, including reindeer suits and Mrs. Claus dresses for dogs, that were supplied to Wal-Mart had been manufactured at the factory.