US- Walmart the largest retailer in America joined Dick’s Sporting Goods Inc in increasing the minimum age of purchasing a gun to 21, after the massacre in Parkland Florida that killed 17 people.
In efforts to have gun control in the country the company is acting after mounting pressure from the public and some governmental officials to do something about easy access to assault rifles in America.
The company said in a statement on Wednesday, “Going forward, we are raising the age restriction for purchase of firearms and ammunition to 21 years of age. We will update our processes as quickly as possible to implement this change,”
“We are also removing items from our website resembling assault-style rifles, including nonlethal airsoft guns and toys,” Walmart (WMT) said. “Our heritage as a company has always been in serving sportsmen and hunters, and we will continue to do so in a responsible way.”
Dick’s Sporting’s Goods, the country’s largest sports good retailer also said on Wednesday it would stop selling assault-style weapons similar to the one used in the Parkland, Florida, high school shooting. The company also raised the age of purchasing of all firearms to 21.
Walmart said they have not sold “modern sporting rifles” since 2015, the kind the Florida shooter used.
Walmart said, “We also do not sell handguns, except in Alaska where we feel we should continue to offer them to our customers,”
“We take seriously our obligation to be a responsible seller of firearms and go beyond Federal law by requiring customers to pass a background check before purchasing any firearm,” the statement concluded.
An increasing number of American corporations are cutting ties with the National Rifle Association (NRA), as many believe they have more say in the gun debate and have influence to provide change.
Photo Credit- cnnmoney.com
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