Wal-Mart to sell only concentrated detergent

NEW YORK Wal-Mart Stores said today that it plans to sell only concentrated products in the liquid laundry detergent category in its U.S. Wal-Mart Stores and Sam's Clubs by early May 2008, with more than 800 million units over the next three years.

The announcement was made by Wal-Mart president and ceo Lee Scott at the Clinton Global Initiative.

"People expect businesses to step up and work together to help solve the big challenges facing the world," Scott told the audience gathered in New York City. "What we have done is work with suppliers to take water -- one of our most precious natural resources -- out of the liquid laundry detergent on our shelves. We simply don't want our customers to have to choose between a product they can afford and an environmentally friendly product."

The transition will occur in waves beginning in the Southern region in October, extending to the North and Midwest by February and finishing in East coast states in April 2008.

According to Wal-Mart, the move will save more than 400 million gallons of water, more than 95 million pounds of plastic resin and more than 125 million pounds of cardboard.