Despite the ongoing rise in gun violence, America still lacks sensible gun control laws. One such issue is the fact that people are free to openly carry loaded guns in public. In the United States this is known as the ‘Open Carry Law’.

Because the US government has been slow to respond, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America has asked companies directly to create their own corporate policies that disallow carrying loaded guns in their stores. Many retailers like Starbucks and Target have now done so. However the largest grocery chain in America, Kroger, has remained silent.

So we launched ‘Groceries not guns’, a PR campaign and lobby effort to put pressure on Kroger to stop supporting the Open carry law and go gun-free.

Our core idea was to highlight existing store rules & policies, comparing what was already not allowed inside Kroger stores, with the absurd reality of what was: loaded guns.

Beyond getting Kroger specifically to change their policy, our goal was to raise mass awareness for stricter gun laws and sway public opinion amongst shoppers to not shop at companies that support the Open Carry Law.

‘Groceries not guns’ has generated more than 350M unique impressions from earned media alone. But more important than all the coverage is the response and impact it’s had:

Over 1.5M individual responses, including 360,000 petition signatures, 16,000 complaint calls to Kroger and 120,000 new MDA member sign-ups.

Over $250,000 in lost Kroger (boycott) revenue posted by customers in first 48hrs at groceriesnotguns.com

Safeway/Albertsons, the #2 grocery chain, changes policy to become gun-free, among others.

Benenson Group national survey now shows 83% support for Kroger to prohibit guns.

‘Side by side’ images contrasting what wasn’t allowed in Kroger (skateboards, outside food, going shirtless) versus what was (loaded guns) were released in newspaper, as social posts, digital ads, and to news media.

Actual calls to Kroger stores were recorded and aired as direct response radio ads nationally, asking for petition signatures. They were also released to online communities for sharing.

TV and online video asked people to stop shopping at Kroger, directing them to groceriesnotguns.com where ‘boycott’ receipts (from shopping at Kroger competitors) were posted in the ‘World’s Longest Receipt’.

Over 500 pieces of MDA original social content were produced for online community ‘liking’ and sharing.

As mentioned, because the US government has yet to change federal laws to put stricter gun control policies in place, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America has taken it upon themselves to approach companies directly to create their own corporate policies that disallow carrying loaded guns in their stores.

Our target audience was concerned moms and families who shop at Kroger grocery stores. People who have a legitimate concern for the safety of themselves and their families when they had to share the grocery aisle with others carrying loaded assault weapons.