March 29, 2018 Retailer Boycotts Gun Manufacturer
In the wake of the Florida school shooting, a petition was initiated by the members of the Canadian retailer Mountain Equipment Co-operative (MEC) to boycott products under the ownership of the U.S. parent company Vista Outdoor (Bollé, Bushnell, CamelBak, Camp Chef, and Jimmy Styks). Vista Outdoor also owns Savage Arms, manufacturer of semi-automatic rifles like those used in the shooting.
“Given the recent massacre of high school students in Parkland, Florida,” the petition reads, “MEC is facing an urgent ethical obligation: to act in accordance with its ‘Mission and Values’ and immediately stop selling brands owned by Vista Outdoor, a corporation whose profits are derived from the production of assault weapons capable of mass murder.”
The petition quickly reached 40,000 signatures, whereupon the retailer issued a statement earlier this month explaining that as a member-based organization it was “compelled to respond,” and that they would suspend any further orders with brands owned by Vista Outdoor. In addition, MEC promised to further explore the question of “what corporate social responsibility means for MEC, widening our scope beyond environmental footprint and responsible sourcing to consider ownership structures.”
Several similar petitions were initiated in the U.S. following the MEC petition, and a number of retailers have also announced their intention to suspend orders with Vista Outdoor.
Photo: MEC HQ
