REI, which operates a chain of 154 recreational equipment stores in 36 states stores, has stopped ordering products made by Savage Arms, which manufactures assault-style rifles, along with CamelBak water bottles, Camp Chef portable grills, and Giro helmets.
From Think Progress:
REI decided to disassociate itself from the popular brands since they are owned by Vista Outdoor, a company that also owns Savage Arms, a firearm and assault-style rifle manufacturer. Earlier this week, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Walmart, and L.L. Bean raised the age to buy firearm and ammunition from their stores to 21, following backlash by customers in the wake of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida that killed 17 people.
Customers had been urging REI to stop doing business with Vista Outdoor brands. Online petitions with thousands of signatures have also been circulating.
REI noted that it does not sell guns, but said gun manufacturers and retailers need to “work towards common sense solutions that prevent the type of violence that happened in Florida last month,” according to a statement released Thursday. “In the last few days, we’ve seen such action from companies like Dick’s Sporting Goods and Walmart and we applaud their leadership.”
Image: Savage Arms
