Wal-Mart praised for ethical gold service

US retail giant Wal-Mart’s new ethical gold initiative has been hailed by green campaigners.

Customers can track down the mine where the gold for their Wal-Mart Love Earth jewellery was sourced by entering a product code online, according to website Ethical Corporation.

They can also discover where their bracelets, rings and earrings were refined, polished and set, the site added.

It is hoped that the measure will reassure customers about the credibility of the chain’s environmental standards.

Wal-Mart aims to have ten per cent of all its jewellery traceable in this manner by 2010 and wants all of its mines and manufacturers to meet sustainability criteria, the news provider noted.

Ethical gold has become a popular choice for couples having environmentally-friendly weddings, according to the Press and Journal.