By The Associated Press
Kroger has joined Walmart in asking its customers to stop openly carrying guns inside its stores.
The announcement Wednesday follows similar steps by other retailers responding to public pressure to restrict gun and ammunition sales.
On Tuesday, Walmart announced it would discourage customers from openly carrying firearms in its stores and halt sales of certain firearm ammunition. In March, Dick’s Sporting Goods said it would stop selling firearms and ammunition at 125 of its 700-plus locations. Meanwhile, Starbucks, Target and Wendy’s have also asked customers not to openly carry guns when visiting their stores.
“Kroger is respectfully asking that customers no longer openly carry firearms into our stores, other than authorized law enforcement officers,” said Jessica Adelman, group vice president of corporate affairs at Kroger Co., in an email statement. “We are also joining those encouraging our elected leaders to pass laws that will strengthen background checks and remove weapons from those who have been found to pose a risk for violence.”
It is unclear at this point how Kroger or Walmart plan to enforce their policies, or how the policies barring people from “openly” carrying weapons would affect Indiana’s concealed carry rules.
In Indiana, anyone who acquires a handgun permit can carry firearms openly or concealed. However, private businesses can restrict patrons from carrying firearms on their property, said Lt. Matt Harris, Columbus Police Department spokesman.
“A private business can restrict or request that people not carry weapons on their property,” Harris said. “There are places in Columbus where this request has been made. If a person was to carry a firearm onto the premises, then the property owner or manager can request that that person leave the property.”
If that person refuses to leave the property, they could be arrested for trespassing, Harris said.
Harris said he spoke briefly on Tuesday with a manager of a local Walmart about the retailer’s new policy. However, CPD has yet to receive any documentation about either of the stores’ new policies or how store employees will handle patrons who openly carry firearms.
Though not many details about the new policies are available, the recent decisions by retailers have won praise from gun control advocates for discontinuing sales of certain gun ammunition and requesting that customers no longer openly carry firearms in its stores. But whether the moves will translate into fewer guns on the street remains an open question.
Supporters of stricter gun laws say that as the nation’s largest retailer, Walmart, will have outsized influence on the gun debate, sending a strong message to Congress as well as other corporations to also take action.
“Walmart deserves enormous credit for joining the strong and growing majority of Americans who know that we have too many guns in our country and they are too easy to get,” said Igor Volsky, executive director and founder of Guns Down America, in a statement. “That work doesn’t end with Walmart’s decision today. As Congress comes back to consider gun violence, Walmart should make it clear that it stands with Americans who are demanding real change.”
Still, most firearms sales come from thousands of unaffiliated gun shops or gun shows, not big retail chains, so it’s not clear how much difference Walmart’s moves will make. About half of its more than 4,750 U.S. stores sell firearms, or only around 2% of all U.S. firearms.
A Indiana State Rifle and Pistol Association spokesman said it would be a “mistake” for Kroger and Walmart to institute such policies.
“I don’t think it’s wise for them to cower to the emotion of the moment on this,” said Bill Dowden, association director of legislative activities. “I don’t think rules like that prevent a criminal from committing a criminal act.”
Dowden, however, said the stores have the right to enact such policies on private property and that Indiana residents with a firearm license should follow each store’s policies.
“I would not recommend going supermarket shopping with a six shooter hanging on my hip,” he said.
Walmart, based in Bentonville, Arkansas, said Tuesday it will stop selling handgun ammunition as well as short-barrel rifle ammunition, such as the .223 caliber and 5.56 caliber used in military style weapons, after it runs out of its current inventory. That in turn will reduce Walmart’s market share of ammunition from around 20% to a range of about 6% to 9%, according to a memo by the company CEO Doug McMillon.
Walmart will also discontinue handgun sales in Alaska. Walmart stopped selling handguns in the mid-1990s in every state but Alaska. The latest move marks its complete exit from that business and allows it to focus on hunting rifles and related ammunition only.
The retailer is further requesting that customers refrain from openly carrying firearms at its Walmart and Sam’s Club stores unless they are law enforcement officers. However, it said that it won’t be changing its policy for customers who have permits for concealed carry. Walmart says it will be adding signage in stores to inform customers of those changes.
The National Rifle Association posted a tweet attacking Walmart’s announcement Tuesday.
“It is shameful to see Walmart succumb to the pressure of the anti-gun elites. Lines at Walmart will soon be replaced by lines at other retailers who are more supportive of America’s fundamental freedoms,” it said.
