The Last Meter of Capitalism: Work in Walmart China

The text analyzes the concept of the 'last meter of capitalism' using the example of Walmart China, focusing on realization work, which became a key infrastructure for survival during the pandemic. The author argues that although physical labor in stores and logistics is usually marginalized and invisible, it becomes an essential element of social metabolism in crisis situations. The pandemic accelerated the platformization of trade, transforming private services into quasi-public food distribution systems. The article exposes the contrast between corporate language regarding 'efficiency' and the material reality of workers who maintain supply continuity while risking their health. In this way, retail ceases to be merely a sphere of consumption and becomes a political tool for collective security.