Texas-based company, American Rounds has made the controversial decision to start selling bullets and ammunition through vending machines in grocery stores across three southern states.
This initiative, which began in 2023, has raised concerns among gun control advocates and organizations such as Everytown for Gun Safety.
According to the Associated Press, CEO of American Rounds, Grant Magers, stated that the idea originated when grocery stores and other retailers were seeking innovative ways to sell ammunition.
As of now, there are six machines in operation: one in Alabama, four in Oklahoma, and one in Texas. There are plans to expand further, with an additional machine in Texas and another in Colorado.
These vending machines are equipped with advanced technology, including facial detection and identification scanners, to ensure a more secure purchase environment. Despite these security measures, critics like Nick Suplina, senior vice president for law and policy at Everytown for Gun Safety, have major concerns.
Suplina argued that while these safety measures could enhance safety in gun stores, their presence in everyday locations like grocery stores sends the wrong message. “In a country awash in guns and ammo, where guns are the leading cause of deaths for kids, we don’t need to further normalize the sale and promotion of these products,” he told the Associated Press.
According to a Pew Research Center report, the number of children and teens killed by gunfire in the United States surged by 50% between 2019 and 2021. In 2021, homicide was the leading cause of gun deaths among young people, accounting for 60% of the total, followed by suicide at 32% and accidents at 5%.
Notably, 46% of all gun deaths among children and teens involved Black victims, despite Black children comprising only 14% of the under-18 population in the U.S. that year.
Moreover, the vending machines being implemented by American Rounds are primarily located in small towns with limited access to ammunition retailers. Magers pointed out that residents in these areas might otherwise have to drive long distances to purchase ammunition, particularly for activities like hunting. “Our grocery stores wanted to offer their customers another category that they felt would be popular,” Magers said.
Despite their proposed reasoning, the concept has faced pushback. A machine installed in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, was removed following a city council meeting where concerns were raised. Councilman Kip Tyner expressed disbelief when he first heard about the vending machines. “I mean, I thought it was a lie. I thought it was a joke—but it’s not,” Tyner said.
Although the official reason for the machine’s removal was due to lack of sales, the legality of these vending machines hinges on compliance with local zoning laws regarding ammunition sales.
Additionally, Inc reported that Magers disclosed that American Rounds has received several requests to install machines in 200 stores across nine states, indicating the potential for significant expansion.
The introduction of ammunition vending machines by American Rounds into grocery stores definitely highlights the ongoing debate over gun control and the normalization of firearms in our everyday life.
With guns being the leading cause of death amongst children and young people in this nation, is more accessibility to ammo really what we need?
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