Mountain Equipment Co-opB次元官网网址檚 senior management is meeting Monday following a social media outcry after consumers connected some of the brands sold in store to a major U.S. ammunition and gun manufacturer.
The Vancouver-based outdoor apparel and goods retailer sells Vista Outdoor Inc.-owned brands, including Giro, Camelbak and Blackburn.
Utah-based Vista also designs, develops and manufactures ammunition, long guns and related equipment, according to its website. The company owns Savage Arms, which sells multiple semi-automatic rifles. Those are similar to the type of rifle a shooter used earlier this month to kill 17 people at a Parkland, Fla., school.
While MEC doesnB次元官网网址檛 sell firearms, it does stock the helmets, sunglasses and other outdoor goods Vista makes.
A Change.org calls on the retailer to stop carrying the brands.
B次元官网网址淕iven the recent massacre of high school students in Parkland, Fla., MEC is facing an urgent ethical obligation: to act in accordance with its B次元官网网址榤ission and values,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址 the petition, which has been signed by about 400 people as of Monday afternoon, reads.
The companyB次元官网网址檚 mission and values include seeking B次元官网网址渢o motivate other individuals and organizations to act for people and the planet.B次元官网网址
Some people aired their concerns to the company on its Twitter and Facebook pages, asking it to stop selling Vista-owned brands.
Neither MEC nor Vista immediately responded to a request for comment.
However, MEC answered posts on its social media pages, telling visitors their comments have been passed on to the companyB次元官网网址檚 management.
It tweeted Sunday evening thanking all its members who contacted them with concerns.
Thank you members who contacted us with your concerns about Vista Outdoors. Senior mgmt will be discussing this first thing on Monday. We'll have an update for you later in the day.
B次元官网网址 MEC (@mec)
Aleksandra Sagan, The Canadian Press