Target announced Thursday that it is implementing an anti-gun policy, “respectfully” requesting that customers don’t bring guns into their stores.
“Bringing firearms to Target creates an environment that is at odds with the family-friendly shopping and work experience we strive to create,” Target CEO John Mulligan wrote in a statement.
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The ban came as a response to the gun-control organization Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, which led an online campaign urging people to boycott Target if it did not take a stance against firearms. The campaign began after a Texan gun-rights group posted photos of members carrying guns in Dallas stores, according to the Wall Street Journal.
“Our approach has always been to follow local laws,” Mulligan wrote. “Starting today we will also respectfully request that guests not bring firearms to Target – even in communities where it is permitted by law.”
Mulligan said that through this policy he is aiming to “create an atmosphere that is safe and inviting” for customers and staff.
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Target is now the largest company in the U.S. to ban guns from its stores, according to the Huffington Post. Other companies that have implemented similar policies include Starbucks, Chipotle and Whole Foods.