US companies take stand, raise age to purchase guns

NEW YORK (AP) — Kroger and L.L. Bean said Thursday they will no longer sell guns to anyone under 21, becoming the third and fourth major retailers this week to put restrictions in place that are stronger than federal laws.

The announcements follow those by Dick’s Sporting Goods and Walmart, emphasizing the pressure companies are facing to take a stand.

Kroger, the nation’s largest grocery chain, said that since a mass shooting last month at a Florida high school that killed 17 people, it’s become clear that gun retail outlets must go beyond what current US laws requires.

The 19-year-old accused in the school slaying bought the AR-15 used in the attack legally.

Federal law allows people 18 and older to purchase long guns such as rifles.

“In response to the tragic events in Parkland and elsewhere, we’ve taken a hard look at our policies and procedures for firearm sales,” Kroger Co. said in a release.

Kroger has sold guns from 44 of its Fred Meyer stores in the West and will raise the age to 21 for purchasing.

L.L. Bean, which says it only sells firearms at its flagship store in Maine and only guns specific to hunting and target shooting, released a statement late Thursday saying the company will no longer sell firearms or ammunition to anyone under 21.

The change comes one day after Walmart and Dick’s Sporting Goods, both prominent gun sellers, tightened their company policies, and also a day after students returned to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida for the first time since the shooting there.

And late Thursday outdoor retailer REI says it’s halting future orders of some popular brands — including CamelBak water carriers, Giro helmets and Camp Chef stoves — whose parent company also makes ammunition and assault-style rifles.

Seattle-based REI has been facing mounting pressure from some customers.