Retailer's Product Selection, Advertising and Stores Show It Can be Easy Being 'Green'
March 31, 2008 | BENTONVILLE, Ark.

Wal-Mart today launched its most comprehensive environmental sustainability campaign, demonstrating it's serious about moving 'green' from costly dream to routine for its customers. The Earth Month merchandising and marketing campaign during the month of April, with national television advertising breaking today, highlights eco-friendly products available at budget-friendly prices. The moves tap into the growing influence of environmental concerns on consumer shopping behavior.

 

“Wal-Mart is uniquely positioned to make sustainable choices a real option for hundreds of millions of Americans - not just the few who until now could afford to choose them,” said Matt Kistler, senior vice president of sustainability at Wal-Mart.  “The environment and budgets will be top of mind for our shoppers throughout the month of April, and for those reasons, we are unveiling new product initiatives as well as offering seasonal favorites at unbeatable prices.”

 

From milk to mulch and laundry detergent to light bulbs, more than 50 products spanning various aspects of sustainability including energy conservation, waste reduction, and organics will be featured on store shelves during the month of April.  In addition, Walmart.com will offer more than 500 eco-friendly items, including apparel, baby products and home furnishings, at unbeatable prices online (www.walmart.com/earth).

 

New products include:

  • Alternative fiber apparel including:
    • RPET Coca-Cola Branded T-shirts ($7.50) – Wal-Mart has partnered with Coca-Cola to introduce co-branded t-shirts made with RPET, a material manufactured with recycled plastic bottles.  Currently available online at Walmart.com/earth.
    • Faded Glory Transitional Cotton T-shirts ($3.50 - 6.00) – As farmers switch from traditional to organic farming practices, there is a transition period during which they cannot certify products as 100 percent organic and thus cannot demand certified organic prices for their product. Wal-Mart helps these farmers by paying these farmers certified organic prices during the transition, without passing along increased cost to customers.
  • Majestic™ Rubber Mulch ($5.47 for a 20 lb. bag) – Made from 100 percent recycled tire rubber, Majestic rubber mulch is ideal for landscaping and covering playgrounds, pools and pond areas. Available in red or brown, the rubber mulch is non-toxic and latex-free, and is a great alternative to traditional mulch for environmentally conscious gardeners.

 

A few examples of products featured with rollback prices for Earth Month include:

  • 3M Allergen Air Filters ($10.88) – Changing air filters regularly helps customers save on energy bills and cleans indoor air.
  • Clorox Green Works ™ cleaning products (2 for $5, was $2.67-$2.98) – Green Works Natural Cleaners work as well as other cleaners, without the harsh chemical fumes and residue.
  • 2x Ultra Tide Coldwater detergent ($15.87, was $17.97) – Formulated to work better in cold water with the potential to save customers $65 per year in water heating costs.

 

To support product initiatives, Wal-Mart will break today a national advertising campaign that includes print, television, radio and online ads as well as a 16-page insert in May issues of several popular consumer magazines. The seven national :30 television spots focus on various areas of sustainability in a story-telling style.

 

“Earth Month 2008 marks an important tipping point where Wal-Mart and its suppliers stepped up to take environmental sustainability mainstream and educate shoppers in a big way about products that can help them save money, live better and help our planet,” said Stephen Quinn, chief marketing officer at Wal-Mart. “We want every shopper, many of whom are looking to stretch their budget, to know they already have the power to choose a product that is better for their family and for the environment.”

 

In stores, shoppers will find signs sharing information about the environmental benefits and impact of sustainable products, and highlighting small, affordable changes that can help them live better without sacrificing the family budget.

 

Also as a part of Earth Month 2008, Wal-Mart will be giving away a million custom-made reusable shopping bags on Saturday, April 19 starting at 8 a.m. local time.  Wal-Mart also sells reusable shopping bags made from recycled materials for $1.

 

More information about Wal-Mart’s sustainability efforts and programs can be found at www.walmartstores.com.

 

About Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT)

Every week, millions of customers visit Wal-Mart Stores, Supercenters, Neighborhood Markets, and Sam’s Club locations across America. The company and its Foundation are committed to a philosophy of giving back locally. Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) is proud to support the causes that are important to customers and associates right in their own neighborhoods, and last year gave more than $296 million to local United States communities. To learn more, visit http://www.walmartstores.com, http://www.walmart.com, or http://www.walmartfoundation.org.