Walmart makes new commitment to natural products and sustainability

By

Emily Jensen

Published
Oct 5, 2017

Walmart is following in the footsteps of other chains such as Sephora in making natural beauty products an important part of its business. As part of a new initiative, the company has pledged to be more transparent and reduce its chemical footprint.

 
In a recent press release, Walmart announced it would provide full disclosure of the ingredients in its products both in person and online by 2018. The company will also increase its supply of sustainably produced items and intend to better address potential allergens in fragranced products.
 
“We know our customers are interested in what goes into products and how they are made. It’s important for them, and we are advocating for them by encouraging innovation and transparency into that process,” Zach Freeze, senior director of strategic initiatives for sustainability at Walmart, said in a statement. “Our strengthened commitment provides more clarity on our expectations for suppliers in working towards enhanced product formulations and setting concrete benchmarks to check progress along the way.”

Another part of Walmart’s new initiative includes reducing its chemical footprint by 10 percent by the year 2020. The goal applies to all Walmart stores and Sam’s Club.
 
Earlier this year, Walmart added natural beauty brand Found to its lineup. Other cosmetics retailers such as Sephora and Target have taken steps to integrate more natural brands into their lineups in recent months as well.