I think it's a EPA deal to get / keep the lead & acid out of landfills. All the auto stores here in central Fl. give $10 bucks off / core charge on a new battery.
2017 or 18 Consumers Reports gave WalMart (house brand) the top rating in all test areas.
WalMart has a non-pro rated warranty for the first 3 years & a pro-rated warranty for 2 years after that for a total of 5 years warranty..... I put one in my '16 Tacoma so far it's doing good. Strong crank every time. OEM only lasted 24 months.
From my experience in the Middle East, it's the heat that kills them. In Dubai, a car battery is generally good for about 2 years. Up here in the frozen north, the only time extreme cold will kill them, is when you allow them to get too discharged, at which point they can freeze. I just replaced the original battery in my 2005 Infinity.