Wal-Mart Tallies Packaging Scorecard: 117 Products So Far
Wal-Mart Stores has registered a mere 117 products in the first month for its new packaging scorecard.
So far 2,268 vendors have logged onto Wal-Mart’s site to check out the scorecard that the retail giant will use to cut packaging 5% by 2013. That’s a small fraction of the 60,000 suppliers that Wal-Mart is requiring to use the scorecard to rate, then reduce their own use of packaging for goods sold at Wal-Mart.
The packaging reduction program is part of Wal-Mart’s broader effort to be more environmentally friendly. Wal-Mart launched the scorecard in February; it will start using data from the system in February 2008 to compare manufacturers’ efforts. Eventually, Wal-Mart buyers will consider scorecard data when they negotiate with those suppliers to put products in stores.
Manufacturers use the scorecard to report, then track their own use of packaging materials. Wal-Mart projects that its suppliers will save a combined $11 billion a year by using less cardboard and plastic, and using more eco-friendly materials. Wal-Mart said its own operations will save about $3.4 billion a year through packaging reduction (February 2007 PROMO).
Wal-Mart unveiled its first tally of registrants earlier this week at its Sustainable Packaging Exposition. The company hosts the expo to showcase packaging alternatives for about 3,000 manufacturers. Exhibits from 130 packaging suppliers show alternatives to traditional packaging, some using renewable resources such as corn or potatoes. The retailer itself hosts a booth to demonstrate how to use the packaging scorecard.
“We are in a unique position to drive positive change in the area of sustainability by working with our suppliers,” said Matt Kistler, senior vice president of marketing, research, and insights for Sam’s Club and captain of Wal-Mart’s Packaging Sustainability Network, in a statement. “The packaging scorecard helps everyone make better decisions that are good for business, our customers and the environment.”
