Retail giant Walmart has imposed an ammunition limit following an increase in demand for bullets.
The company said customers would be limited to three boxes of ammo per day. According to Reuters , gun and ammunition sales have increased considerably around the nation following the the shooting in Newtown, Connecticut last year.
A spokesperson for the company said:
“In order to take care of as many customers as possible, starting Thursday, Jan. 24, all ammunition sales were limited to three boxes per customer, per day as supply is limited at this time.”
According to The Denver Post , Walmart locations have started running low on ammunition since the surge in demand. As a result of dwindling supplies, the company is now imposing a limit on its customers. The company said this was done in order to keep things fair for all of its shoppers.
However, Walmart isn’t opposed to revisiting the limit once its stock has been replenished. The spokesperson added that, “once the issue resolved, we’ll address purchase limit.”
Walmart and its customers aren’t alone in the ammo shortage. The Inquisitr previously reported that some police departments around the country are reporting limited supplies of ammunition.
Although authorities are putting in orders for ammo, suppliers simply cannot keep up with demand. Backlogs for rifles and ammunition exceeds one year in some parts of the country.
Smyrna Police Distributors owner Jay Wallace said:
“There’s been more demand for ammunition than there’s ever been. We’re going to be starting to get very concerned at the six-moth level if that’s all we have in stock, because then we have to start planning and rationing.”
The City Wire reports that Walmart is currently sells more guns and ammunition than any other retailer in the United States. Although firearms were pulled from the majority of its locations in 2006, the company decided to bring them back to retail shelves two years ago.
It’s currently unclear how long Walmart intends to impose the ammunition limit.