4 more companies follow Walmart's lead and tell customers to stop carrying guns

Major retailers are defying the NRA and following Walmart in asking that customers no longer openly carry firearms in their stores.

In an announcement Tuesday, Walmart urged shoppers not to openly carry firearms in its stores, adding that they would also curtail sales of some types of guns and ammunition.

The NRA lashed out at them, releasing a statement blasting the largest retailer in America for “succumb[ing] 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,” the NRA wrote.

Kroger, the second-largest retailer in the country, which operates over 2,700 supermarkets, followed Walmart’s lead.

“Kroger is respectfully asking that customers no longer openly carry firearms into our stores, other than authorized law enforcement officers,” the company said in a release on Tuesday.

Kroger also said they were “joining those encouraging our elected leaders to pass laws that will strengthen background checks.”

The NRA has for years campaigned against enhanced background checks.

Walgreens joined the parade of companies defying the NRA’s demands and announced on Thursday that they would also oppose open carry.

“We are joining other retailers in asking our customers to no longer openly carry firearms into our stores other than authorized law enforcement officials,” the company said in a statement.

Wegmans said there was “nothing more important than the safety of our customers and employees” in announcing a policy shift on open carry.

“The sight of someone with a gun can be alarming, and we don’t want anyone to feel that way at Wegmans.  For this reason, we prefer that customers not openly carry firearms into our stores.”

CVS also issued a statement on Thursday, saying that their company would “join a growing chorus of businesses in requesting that our customers, other than authorized law enforcement personnel, do not bring firearms into our stores.”

CVS is the largest pharmacy chain with over 9,800 stores in the United States.

The NRA has been under fire and losing political ground.

Despite its sway within the Republican Party, the NRA is losing electorally and rocked by internal scandal — and major retailers are simply not doing its bidding.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.