MEC to stop selling brands from U.S. gunmaker

By stopping the sale of brands tied to gun manufacturing, the chief executive of Mountain Equipment Co-op says the company can play a role in advancing discussions around gun control. David Labistour announced Thursday that MEC will stop selling several outdoor equipment brands owned by Vista Outdoor Inc., which is also a gun manufacturer. MEC doesn’t sell guns, but has faced a petition calling on it to stop selling brands owned by Vista Outdoor because the U.S. firm develops and manufactures firearms similar to the type of weapon used in a recent mass shooting in Florida. The retailer said its existing inventory of Bushnell, CamelBak, Camp Chef, Jimmy Styks and Bolle gear will remain on its shelves until it is sold, but it has suspended further orders of the brands owned by Vista Outdoor. Labistour said in a telephone interview Thursday that he listened to a spectrum of opinions, ranging from boycotting the brand to leaving the decision to individual consumers. “This one has been a very emotional issue with a lot of different opinions. It wasn’t clear cut,” Labistour said. “The thing we have to be careful about is we need to try and find the opinion of the middle as opposed to listening to the loud voices on the outside and that requires very careful scrutiny ...” MEC bills itself as Canada’s go-to place for outdoor gear, owned by those who shop there. The price for a lifetime membership is $5 and hasn’t changed since 1971. The company has always considered members’ concerns with the brands and products it carries, Labistour said, but unlike previous disputes, the culture of social media has created an expectation that companies should reach an immediate decision.

“The reality is to gather all the facts and to reach a considered decision it takes more than the speed of a tweet,” he said. “You need to have the courage to take the time to make the right decision.” It became clear that the company’s members weren’t taking aim at the issue of hunting or sport shooting but wanted to see more discussion around gun control, he said.

While he doesn’t believe MEC has any control over that debate, the organization can help advance the public conversation around the Feb. 14 shooting that resulted in 17 deaths at a high school in Parkland, Fla., he said.