No more open firearms in our stores

Kroger has urged customers to refrain from carrying firearms openly in stores where state laws permit, and joined Walmart in changing its policy after seven people were killed in a Texas shooting on Saturday. "Kroger respectfully requests that clients no longer openly have firearms in our stores other than authorized attorneys," Jessica Adelman, corporate affairs director, told CNBC in an email statement Tuesday. "We are also joining forces with those who encourage our elected leaders to pass laws that will strengthen background checks and remove weapons from those found to pose a risk of violence," the supermarket chain said. The dealership said it recognizes "the growing chorus of Americans who are no longer comfortable with the status quo" after a series of mass shootings in recent months. The announcement came after the National Rifle Association reacted quickly to Walmart's decision to restrict ammunition sales on Tuesday, accusing the retail giant of "victimizing law-abiding Americans" and suggesting gun owners would boycott by going to "other retailers more supportive of the US basic freedoms. ”