On Tuesday, Doug McMillon, Walmart鈥檚 President and CEO, the company鈥檚 next steps in addressing recent shootings at Walmart locations in and These will include the of ammunition designed for handguns and military-style rifles, such as the AR-15.

But McMillon also said the company would 鈥渞espectfully request that customers no longer openly carry firearms into their stores鈥� and Sam鈥檚 Club locations in states where 鈥渙pen carry鈥� is permitted, unless they are authorized law enforcement officers.

Then on Tuesday evening, Jessica Adelman, the Vice President of Corporate Affairs at Kroger, that the grocer is adopting the same policy and 鈥渆ncouraging elected leaders to pass laws that will strengthen background checks,鈥� according to an emailed statement.

Some experts believe this move won鈥檛 affect most of Walmart or Kroger鈥檚 customers, even the ones who carry their firearms into the store.

David Yamane, a professor of Sociology at Wake Forest University, studies firearm culture in the U.S.

鈥淚t鈥檚 rare that you see people openly carrying firearms in public,鈥� Yamane said. 鈥淢ost private citizens who carry firearms, carry their firearms concealed.鈥�

Yamane says people who openly carry their firearms in public places make up a small number in the gun-owning community.

鈥淭hese people are trying to make political statements,鈥� Yamane said. But 鈥渢hey鈥檙e not the types that want to cause a scene, if they鈥檙e asked to leave a place because they鈥檙e openly carrying.鈥�

Customers will still be allowed to carry their firearms concealed in Kroger and Walmart as that policy has not changed.

Yamane says it鈥檚 unclear as to how the companies are going to enforce the new policy. He believes they will need to train employees on appropriate ways to handle customers who openly carry their firearms.

Joseph Blocher, the co-director of the Duke Firearms Law Center, says there鈥檚 a lot about how this new policy would work that we still don鈥檛 know. For example:

鈥淗ow is Walmart going to enforce this? How stringently?鈥� Blocher said. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 know how much bite the policy is going to have.鈥�

The National Rifle Association (NRA) issued a against Walmart鈥檚 decision, saying the company 鈥渉as chosen to victimize law abiding Americans.鈥�

鈥淚t is shameful to see succumb to the pressure of the anti-gun elites. Lines at Walmart will soon be replaced by lines at other retailers who are more supportive of America鈥檚 fundamental freedoms.鈥�

Read 鈥榮 statement on Walmart鈥檚 decision here:

鈥� NRA (@NRA)

Some gun owners have called the move unconstitutional. But Blocher says that argument is irrelevant.

鈥淲almart is not bound by the Second Amendment any more than they are bound by the First Amendment,鈥� Blocher said. 鈥淎nd if they want to prohibit guns on their property, that鈥檚 鈥� just like any private property owner 鈥� something that they鈥檙e empowered by law to do.鈥�

Blocher says the policy could be similar in practice to the 鈥淣o Shirt, No Shoes, No Service鈥� rule many stores have.

He also says this policy could be more symbolic than practical.

鈥淒ecisions to stop selling handgun ammunition, for example, or a decision to get out of the guns business entirely 鈥� those are big changes to the supply of arms,鈥� Blocher said. 鈥淭hose probably do have direct and immediate impact, assuming that businesses follow through with their announced changes.鈥�

According to a new from Axios, the move could be a win for the leadership at Kroger and Walmart in the court of public opinion.

Edelman Trust Barometer research conducted the poll and found that companies 鈥渉ave more to gain than they put at risk by taking a stand鈥� on guns because 鈥渃onsumers are more likely to respond positively than negatively to a CEO or company that takes action to address gun violence.鈥�

Walmart did not respond to comment within deadline for this story.

Update 9/05/2019 2:25 p.m.: they will be joining Walmart and Kroger in asking customers to not open carry in their stores.

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