Kroger requests shoppers no longer openly carry guns in its stores

The retail company Kroger on Tuesday "respectfully" asked shoppers to no longer openly carry weapons into its stores, unless they are authorized law enforcement officers.

"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," Jessica Adelman, group vice president of corporate affairs, told CNBC in a statement.

Kroger operates supermarkets, department stores, and jewelry stores across the United States, and in 2018, stopped selling firearms and ammunition in its Fred Meyer locations in the Pacific Northwest. This was a "conscious decision," Adelman said, and Kroger has "demonstrated with our actions that we recognize the growing chorus of Americans who are no longer comfortable with the status quo and who are advocating for concrete and common sense gun reforms."

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Earlier Tuesday, Walmart announced it would no longer sell ammunition for military-style rifles and discouraged customers from openly carrying guns in its stores.