Watertown council president Mark S. Sideris said he believes residents’ strong negative reaction to a Walmart store in their town influenced the retailer’s decision to put aside its plans.

“There are a number of “No Walmart, No Big Boxes” signs on people’s lawns at this point,” Sideris said. “The movement was growing.”

But Restivo, the Walmart spokesman, said the anti-Walmart battles were not the reason why the company pulled out, pointing out the company overcame similar opposition to new stores in Lynn and Salem.

“The campaigns in those two communities weren’t unlike those campaigns in Lynn or Salem,” said Restivo. Walmart ultimately opened stores in both of those locations. Today the company has 47 Supercenters and discount stores in Massachusetts as well as two Sam’s Clubs. Walmart also has a Supercenter under construction in Raynham and will break ground on a Supercenter in Saugus in the fall.

Despite the opposition, Walmart continues to pursue sites in greater Boston, Restivo said, including a Neighborhood Market store, the company’s line of mid-sized, low-cost grocery stores aimed in urban markets.

Last year Boston officials declined to endorse a plan to build a Neighborhood Market at the former Bartlett bus yard, a shuttered MBTA maintenance facility near Dudley Square, where food-shopping options are few. City officials were concerned that the Walmart grocery would undercut local businesses.