Costco will not sell the abortion pill mifepristone

Costco Wholesale Corp. reported that it will not sell the abortion pill mifepristone in its more than 500 U.S. pharmacies.

"Our position at this time not to sell mifepristone, which has not changed, is based on the lack of demand from our members and other patients, who we understand generally have the drug dispensed by their medical providers," the retailer said in a statement picked up by Reuters.

Organizations such as Inspire Investing and Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) had been lobbying for the company to refuse to sell the pill. ADF Senior Vice President of Corporate Engagement Jeremy Tedesco called the news as a "huge win."

"No business case. No shareholder upside. Just ideology—and it failed," he said. He also praised Walmart, Albertsons, and Kroger for “protecting shareholder value against activist demands.” Like Costco, none of these three retailers sell mifepristone, according to Bloomberg.

Another group celebrating the announcement was the State Financial Officers Foundation (SFOF), which, last year, sent letters signed by 17 state financial officers to retailers and pharmacies urging them not to sell the pill. The campaign was launched in response to pressure from New York Comptroller Brad Lander, who had called on retail chains like Costco to stop dispensing the drug.

"This is a win for responsible corporate governance," they SFOF posted on Thursday. "We will continue engaging with companies to ensure they serve customers, not political agendas."

Lander’s spokesperson called the decision "short-sighted." "Failure to provide access to proven safe and FDA-approved medication under the guise of 'weak demand' risks isolating customers and undermines the company’s credibility," he said in a statement reported by Bloomberg.