It will be years not months
WalMart says it could be five years before it is fully implemented. Just imagine the complexity of evaluating, say, a microwave and you can see why. Still, it is hugely important. The big problem is that it is just one retailer, no matter how big. Will WalMart be willing to share ratings with their competitors? Will they allow vendors to tout their ratings in non WalMart specific ads?
Full disclosure: I am a WalMart associate (not a member of management). In the nine years I have worked for them I have seen a sea change from a company focused solely on sales and profits to one where, oh, God, yes sales and profits are paramount but there is a huge push to promote sustainability and it is not just a marketing ploy.
