Wal-Mart said barriers to manufacturing growth include a lack of available and qualified workers and of co-ordination and financing to support U.S. manufacturers, complex regulations that create high compliance costs and legal risks, and the need for an overhaul of the U.S. tax system and trade deals.

The world's largest retailer, which committed to sourcing $250bn worth of U.S.-made goods in 2013, said it identified those challenges as it worked with suppliers over the last four years.

Wal-Mart's comments come at a time when U.S. President Donald Trump has made boosting domestic manufacturing a key focus of his economic agenda. Last month the White House held its "Made in America" week showcasing U.S. goods.

The company's policy proposals included building vocational training programs, reducing costs for private industry to train workers, rebranding U.S. manufacturing to attract workers and drive demand for domestic products, encouraging component production to close supply chain gaps and promoting manufacturing clusters through public-private cooperation.

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