In order to protect the environment as well as cut costs, the world's leading retailer Wal-Mart has formally launched a plan to reduce excessive packaging.

Wal-Mart says it will cooperate with its suppliers to reduce the packaging at the rate of 5% before 2013.

Lee Scott, president and CEO of Wal-mart, says the company will join hands with its suppliers to reduce 5% of all packaging before 2013, which means reducing 213,000 trucks driving on the road every year, or saving 324,000 tons of coal or 67 million gallons of diesel oil. This plan will help Wal-Mart save US$3.4 billion.

A representative from Wal-Mart China says that Wal-Mart will give some suggestions to its suppliers on reducing packaging by changing the shape of packaging or removing some unnecessary materials. This plan will not only be extended among the suppliers which are in direct partnership with Wal-Mart, but also be applicable to its other suppliers. About 20000 suppliers of Wal-Mart in China will participate in this plan, including the Chinese suppliers that have been taken into Wal-Mart's global outsourcing system.