Outdoor retailer REI has put on hold the sale of products made by gun maker Vista Outdoor, it said in a statement on Thursday — stressing that such companies should work towards solutions to prevent violence.
REI, which does not sell guns, said it paused selling Vista products like its Camelbak water bottles and Camp Chef stoves.
In addition to the sporting goods products it sells in REI, Vista also makes rifles under its Savage Arms brand.
“We believe that it is the job of companies that manufacture and sell guns and ammunition to work towards common sense solutions that prevent the type of violence that happened in Florida last month,” the retailer said in a statement.
“This morning we learned that Vista does not plan to make a public statement that outlines a clear plan of action,” it added. “As a result, we have decided to place a hold on future orders of products that Vista sells through REI while we assess how Vista proceeds.
Vista did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
In the weeks following the murder of 17 people in a high school in Florida, there has been unprecedented corporate pressure on the gun industry.
Earlier on Thursday, grocer Kroger said it would no longer sell guns to those under 21 years at the Fred Meyer chain it owns, joining Walmart and Dick’s Sporting Goods, which made a similar announcement on Wednesday.
Dicks also said it will stop selling assault-style rifles in its Field & Stream stores, as well as high-capacity magazines.
Shares of Vista Outdoor, which has a market capitalization of $984 million, are down 12 percent since the massacre.
On Thursday, gun maker American Outdoor Brands, formerly Smith & Wesson, saw shares plummet over 20 percent after reporting a large year-on-year sales decline. The gun maker said its sales fell 32.6 percent year over year in its fiscal third quarter, which it attributed to challenging market conditions for firearms.
The election of President Donald Trump has had a negative impact on the gun industry, which tends to see an uptick in sales under democratic presidents for fear of changes to the second amendment.
