Walmart hikes age requirement to 21 for tobacco purchases

Walmart announced on Wednesday it will now require consumers to be at least 21 to buy tobacco and vaping products after the Food and Drug Administration put the supermarket on notice for selling tobacco products to underage consumers, reports AP.

The big picture: Other retailers have been either removing tobacco products from their shelves or raising the minimum purchase age requirement. Walgreens also received a warning from the FDA and announced it will be raising the minimum age to 21, reports CNBC. In April, Rite-Aid said it would start phasing out the sale of e-cigarettes and vaping products.

Details: Walmart's new policy will take affect in July at its 5,300 stores, including Sam's Club warehouses, per AP.

Go deeper: The growing push to raise the smoking age to 21