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Growing Number Of Retailers Ask Customers Not to Carry Guns Openly

(CBS Local) -- A growing number of retailers are asking their civilian customers to refrain from openly carrying guns in their stores.

The new requests come following mass shootings in California, Texas, and Ohio that killed dozens of people this summer, CBS affiliate KCCI reported.

Walmart, Kroger, Walgreens, CVS, Wegmans and Schnucks each announced they would prohibit open carry in its stores, according to CNN. In addition, Walmart said it would end all handgun ammunition and "short-barrel rifle ammunition" sales.

"We join a growing chorus of businesses in requesting that our customers, other than authorized law enforcement personnel, do not bring firearms into our stores," CVS said in a Tweet posted Sept. 5.

"The safety of our employees, customers and the community is our highest priority. Alongside many other businesses, we are asking that our customers refrain from openly displaying firearms in any of our stores, except for authorized law enforcement personnel," discount grocer Aldi tweeted on Monday.

A number of retailers -- Target, Trader Joe's, Starbucks, Chili's, Sonic, Panera Bread, Whataburger and Costco -- implemented similar policies since 2013, according to USA Today. when the people demand action — or suffer the consequences.

These companies want to be on the right side of history, but their leaders also know that standing up for gun safety is good for business," Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, wrote in a commentary for CNN Business. "In the face of inaction by Congress to protect their constituents, Americans are looking to companies to keep them safe from gun violence when and where they can."

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