Amazon shoppers are buying up pepper spray as demonstrations continue across the US and self-defence becomes front-of-mind for some Americans.
A $9.48 (£7.60) canister of Sabre “max police strength” pepper spray shot up to the top-selling rank in Amazon’s sports and outdoors category on Monday morning, supplanting normal best-sellers such as shorts and T-shirts, according to Marketplace Pulse, which monitors the site. A neck gaiter, which can cover the nose and mouth and became popular during the coronavirus pandemic, was No 2.
One Amazon shopper named “Bill” left a 5-star review for the pepper spray on 31 May and said: “Put the cops down when they mess with you”. People are swapping recommendations for self-defence products on social-media platforms such as Twitter, where users are posting links to Sabre pepper spray on Amazon.
Protests have rocked US cities since the killing in Minneapolis of George Floyd, who died after a police officer knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes. The authorities have charged white police officer Derek Chauvin with Floyd’s killing.
Some demonstrations have turned violent, with businesses looted and buildings and vehicles set ablaze.
Sabre, which also makes stun guns and other products used by law enforcement, could not immediately be reached for comment. A customer representative said all company executives were in a meeting. According to customer reviews, the pepper spray can be used for self-defence.
An Amazon spokesperson declined to comment.
Amazon became a pipeline for household essentials such as toilet paper and disinfecting wipes for shoppers hunkered down at home to avoid contracting Covid-19.
The spike in pepper spray sales shows how protests across the country are influencing consumer demand. Amazon’s best-seller product rankings provide a real-time gauge for sudden swings in consumer demand.
The Washington Post
