Member Article

The Co-operative set "lads mag" ultimatum

The Co-operative has issued an ultimatum to “lads’ mags” publishers, warning that if the magazines are not sealed in “modesty bags”, they will be removed from over 4,000 of the retail trading group’s stores.

The Liverpool-headquartered group gave the publishers of Front, Loaded, Nuts and Zoo until the 9th September 2013 to make the change to obscure their front covers.

If this request is not met The Co-operative said that, as one of the UK’s largest magazine retailers, they would remove the publications from their shops.

This announcement coincides with the introduction of opaque screens on Co-operative supermarket shelves on 6th July.

Steve Murrells, chief executive retail for The Co-operative Group, said “As a community-based retailer we have listened to the concerns of our customers and members, many of whom say they object to their children being able to see overt sexual images in our stores.

“Whilst we have tried to mitigate the likelihood of young children seeing the images with a number of measures in-store, the most effective way of doing this is for these magazines to be put in individual, sealed modesty bags.

“As an interim measure, we have introduced our own opaque screens on shelf to reinforce our existing policy limiting the display of such material.

“The Publishers of these magazines now have until 9 September to start providing their own modesty bags, after which any lads’ magazine which does not have the relevant bag will not be supplied in our stores.”

Action was taken by the store after customers raised their concerns about the exposure of children to sexualised imagery, which The Co-op said it is often unavoidable to have on display.

The Sport newspaper has already agreed to provide a sealed cover for its publications to Co-op stores from the date set, following pressure from the group.

Minister for Women and Equalities, Jo Swinson MP, said: “Many parents aren’t comfortable with the way that sexualised imagery has become like wallpaper - everywhere from the bus stop to the corner shop.

“Exposing children to lewd pictures that portray women as sex objects is not appropriate. That’s why The Co-operative’s decision to implement the Bailey review recommendation for publications with overtly sexual images on the cover to be displayed and sold in modesty bags is very welcome.

“Adults should be left to make their own decisions about what legal sexual images they look at, but the place for these is not next to the sweets at children’s eye-level. I hope other retailers will follow The Co-operative’s lead.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Miranda Dobson .