Where you shop counts: How 4 Pa. companies stack up on gun violence prevention

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Chanice Smith admits she has limited knowledge about firearms. She purchased her first semiautomatic weapon five years ago during Philadelphia’s crime surge.

As a single mother, Smith worries about her own safety and that of her 2-year-old daughter, particularly during reports in light of recent reports of carjackings and home invasions. While the city’s gun violence has declined in recent years, the Philadelphia resident never anticipated needing a gun for self-defense.

“Honestly, I want to level the playing field.” Smith told WHYY News in an interview. “There’s a lot of fear arising over gun violence.”

In neighboring Delaware, Navy veteran Joe Brake, Jr. owns 10 firearms for target practice and skeet shooting. He enjoys the camaraderie of connecting with his former military colleagues. Brake lives on seven-and-a-half acres in Frederica, and keeps most of his guns at home for protection; local break-ins have prompted him to install  cameras. He worries, though, that they could still fail.

“You just don’t know.” Brake said. “For me, I’d rather have it If I need it, then not have it if I do need it.”

Nationally, gun owners often support more relaxed gun laws, while non-gun owners tend to favor stricter regulations. The trend continues to demonstrate substantial momentum. That pattern persists.

According to Pew Research Center’s 2021 surveys, 37% of gun owners support banning assault-style weapons, compared with 74% of non-gun owners — a divide that has grown.

In 2023, Pennsylvania issued a total of 335,975 licenses for carrying firearms and sold 15,457 handguns. According to the Pennsylvania State Police, Philadelphia accounted for 23,634 of those carry permits.

Local gun violence trends

Between 2020 and 2022, Philadelphia saw a sizable increase in gun violence, though more recent data shows a downturn. Below is a snapshot of the last decade.

According to the Center for American Progress, Philadelphia experienced the most significant reduction in gun violence among major cities so far in 2024.

‘Businesses Must Act’ campaign

Hudson Munoz, executive director of Guns Down America, urges corporations to view gun violence as both a business concern and a moral imperative. The organization contends that consumers can wield their purchasing power to influence companies’ responses to gun violence.

“Consumers see an increasing range of options for businesses to address gun violence in communities,” Munoz said. “They’re willing to spend more on brands that are doing things to solve the problem.”

Munoz and his team developed the “Business Must Act” campaign to push corporate America toward greater responsibility in the communities where they operate — specifically by addressing gun violence. They evaluated 38 corporations based on three criteria: in-store policies, corporate actions and political and lobbying contributions.

4 Pennsylvania-Based Corporations

• Dick’s Sporting Goods (headquartered in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania) A- : Dick’s Sporting Goods has emerged as a prominent advocate for gun reform following the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Since 2018, the company has decreased its gun sales, which accounted for less than 5% of total revenue in 2022.
• Sheetz (headquartered in Altoona, Pennsylvania) D- : Sheetz has not publicly addressed the issue of gun violence, and there are no available public statements or policies related to this matter.
• Rite Aid (headquartered in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania) F: Rite Aid has not made any public statements or established policies addressing the issue of gun violence. Additionally, the company has contributed to lawmakers who receive support from the gun lobby.
• Wawa (headquartered in Wawa, Pennsylvania) F: Wawa has not publicly addressed the issue of gun violence, as evidenced by the absence of any official statements or public policies on the matter. Furthermore, the company has made contributions to lawmakers who are supported by the gun lobby.

All four corporations are headquartered in regions that generally lean Republican. As part of the campaign, Guns Down America released details on political contributions in Pennsylvania related to gun legislation.

State lawmakers are also monitoring this issue.

“We must hold businesses accountable for how their actions impact our communities — the public needs to know which companies are working to keep us safe and which are not,” said Sen. Art Haywood (D-4).

State Rep. Morgan Cephas (D-192) added, “I hope the scorecard serves as a wake-up call to these companies, particularly, in the Philadelphia region where gun violence is a crisis in many communities where these companies have retail locations, these simple solutions would go a long way to easing concerns about potential dangers and also demonstrate their commitment to being responsible corporate partners.”

Munoz emphasized that consumers in Pennsylvania and across the nation can help combat gun violence supporting businesses that prioritize safety and responsibility — while also holding accountable those that do not.

For Chanice Smith, that means knowing which brands are tied to the gun industry before spending her money.

“They don’t really care about us,” Smith said. “I will not support companies who don’t choose the greater good in their personal agendas.”

Brake echoed a similar sentiment: “It’s the mindset of the general public, they don’t do their own research to find out where these companies stand on gun violence prevention.”