Aug 14 (Reuters) - Costco Wholesale ( COST ) said on

Thursday it will stop selling abortion pill mifepristone across

all its U.S. pharmacy stores, citing low demand.

"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," Costco said, adding that

it will stop the sale at its more than 500 pharmacies.

The decision comes amid campaigns against the pill by

religious activist groups, including Inspire Investing and

Alliance Defending Freedom.

"Many retailers have become more cautious about taking overt

political or social stances after recent controversies triggered

boycotts, negative media coverage, and polarized consumer

reactions," said Arun Sundaram, senior analyst at CFRA.

Bloomberg reported earlier in the day that religious

activist groups, which targeted retailers including Costco,

Kroger ( KR ), Walmart ( WMT ) and Albertsons ( ACI ) last year,

will now focus on Walgreens and CVS Health ( CVS ) that

dispense the pill in states where abortion is legal.

"The U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on mifepristone access

allows Walgreens to continue to dispense mifepristone under the

FDA guidelines," Walgreens' website states.

Kroger ( KR ) said it was reviewing the FDA's updated mifepristone

Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) drug safety

program, while CVS told Reuters that it fills "prescriptions for

mifepristone in select states where legally permissible."

Mifepristone was approved in combination with misoprostol in

2000 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to end a pregnancy

within 10 weeks of gestation.

Mifepristone blocks progesterone, the hormone that helps a

woman's body maintain the lining of the uterus during pregnancy.

Misoprostol is then taken to complete the abortion process.

Danco Laboratories, which manufactures the abortion pill

regimen, did not respond to a Reuters request for comment, while

Walmart ( WMT ) declined to comment.

(Reporting by Neil J Kanatt and Sriparna Roy in Bengaluru;

Editing by Shilpi Majumdar and Shinjini Ganguli)