Walmart became the latest retailer to make changes to its policies about selling firearms, as reported by The New York Times. On Wednesday (Feb.28), the company announced that it would raise the minimum age to make firearm and ammunition purchases from 18 to 21. Dick’s Sporting Goods is another big-box store that will also stop selling guns to minors.
Building on our 2015 decision to not sell modern sporting rifles, we announced important changes today:
– Raising the age for purchase of firearms and ammunition from 18 to 21 years old
– Removing online items resembling assault-style riflesSee details https://t.co/K7wnc0XEwK
— Walmart (@Walmart) February 28, 2018
Walmart said in a statement, “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.”
Along with the new age restrictions, Walmart decided to update their website by taking down any items that resemble assault rifles.
“We are also removing items from our website resembling assault-style rifles, including nonlethal airsoft guns and toys. Our heritage as a company has always been in serving sportsmen and hunters, and we will continue to do so in a responsible way.”
The change to the sales policy comes in the wake of the Parkland high school shooting. Many other corporations such as Hertz, Delta Air Lines and MetLife have terminated their ties with the National Rifle Association after protests called for #BoycottNRA on social media.