“It’s clear to us that the status quo is unacceptable,” Walmart Chief Executive Officer Doug McMillon said in a statement, this morning, after announcing that the massive retailer will cease selling some types of ammunition and ask customers to not openly carry firearms in its aisles in the wake of two deadly shootings in its stores.
“In a complex situation lacking a simple solution, we are trying to take constructive steps to reduce the risk that events like these will happen again.”
As Bloomberg reports, the company will discontinue sales of short-barrel rifle ammunition such as .223 caliber and 5.56 caliber once it has sold through its current inventory commitments, it said in a statement to employees Tuesday.
It will also stop offering handgun ammunition after it has sold through existing inventory.
In addition, Walmart will end handgun sales in Alaska, the only state where it still sells them, and is “respectfully requesting” that shoppers not open-carry guns in states where it’s permitted.
McMillon went on to note that:
“We know these decisions will inconvenience some of our customers, and we hope they will understand,” adding that,
“we have a long heritage as a company of serving responsible hunters and sportsmen and women, and we’re going to continue doing so,”
Last month Walmart disclosed that it accounts for about 2% of the U.S. firearms market, which would place it outside the top three sellers; and today’s moves, which Walmart said will reduce its market share of ammunition to between 6% and 9%, down from about 20% currently, represent the retailer’s first big steps since attacks in stores in Texas and Mississippi left 24 people dead.
Finally, we do note one comment from a very experienced gun owner, that “no one buys [Walmart’s] overpriced ammo anyway.”
Still, virtue signaled, so all is well.
Gunmaker stocks stumbled on the news…
But was quickly bid back.
via ZeroHedge News https://ift.tt/2MS0d9w Tyler Durden