DALLAS (WBAP/KLIF) – Kroger said it is “respectfully” asking its customers to no longer openly carry firearms in its stores, other than authorized law enforcement officers.
The Ohio-based company, which is the largest traditional U.S. supermarket operator behind Walmart, also said it supports stronger background checks and taking guns away from at-risk individuals.
“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,” said Jessica Adelman, Kroger’s group vice president of corporate affairs.
Walmart on Tuesday responded to last weekend’s shooting in Odessa that resulted in seven deaths by saying it discontinued sales of handgun ammunition. Walmart also publicly asked customers to refrain from openly carrying firearms into its stores even where state laws allow it.
Kroger wants to provide its employees and customers with “a safe place to work and shop will remain our highest priority,” Adelman said.
Kroger ranks second in market share in the Dallas-Fort Worth area behind Walmart and has more than 32,000 employees in Texas.
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