Walmart Opposes NY Plan To Add Panic Buttons To Stores

Retail giant Walmart has expressed opposition to a New York legislature plan to require panic buttons in stores, aimed at keeping retail workers safe, Siddharth Cavale reported for Reuters.

The company opposes the panic button idea because it believes there are likely to be many false alarms. I Photo: Walmart Corporate

The New York State Senate recently passed legislation that would mandate most big retail chains, including Walmart, to install panic buttons in their New York stores where employees can easily access them or provide staff with wearable or mobile-phone-activated panic buttons that summon emergency services.

The law, a reaction to rising threats to store clerks from thefts and violence, was already passed by the state's Assembly and now goes to Governor Kathy Hochul for signature.

Retail groups have criticized the law partly due to the costs of installing the panic buttons. Walmart's top corporate affairs officer told Reuters that the company opposes the panic button idea because it believes there are likely to be many false alarms.