You can imagine how I felt when shopping in a local family grocery store, Hannaford, and saw that same magazine in the check out aisle. Not at my eye level this time, but at my five year old sons! I was livid. Quickly I covered it with a cooking magazine, knowing that every other aisle had it at the same five year eye level. Disgusting.
This afternoon I called Hannaford's corporate offices:
Hannaford Phone:
For customer concerns or questions - (800) 213-9040
"Hi," I said, being quite friendly and giving my name. "I'm calling about your store in such and such a location. I shop there often and spend quite a bit of my money in your store. The last few times I've shopped there, I've been very disturbed to notice the latest issue of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit magazine is in the check out aisle. Not only is it in the check out aisle, which I find personally offensive, but it is at my five year old son's eye level. I do not find that family friendly at all."
On the other end, some sweet girl with a southern twang said, "Um... let me read you this:"
I was then read a formal statement by the customer service girl saying that Hannaford has no control over magazines that their stores carry and that all the magazines they carry are FCC approved.
Ugh. I'm disgusted further.
"So, I asked," now even more livid, "you have no control over where in your store magazines are placed? Is it really necessary that they be at my son's eye level?"
Her: "Ma'am, I can forward a copy of your complaint to the appropriate office, but that is all I can do."
Me: "Please include in that copy the fact that I will no longer be shopping at Hannaford until the magazines are removed from my son's eye level. "
I gave her my address and phone number and requested a call back, letting me know that the magazines have been removed. I could tell she liked that one.
Her: "Um... yes, okay. Good bye."
Somewhere in that conversation I also asked for the name of the store manager and their phone number but she would not give it to me. Is Hannaford supportive of the porn industry all of a sudden? I was not aware. As my husband said, they are just trying to attract boys younger and younger and suck them into it.
I guess I'm not the only one as I came across this post today. It seems the poor topless gal has been showing up in all sorts of inappropriate places instead of the bedroom with her husband where she belongs.
Please take a stand for purity. If you see something wrong, speak up. I personally hate talking on the phone. Is the welfare of my family worth it? Definitely.
(This afternoon, Friday, corporate Hannaford called me back! They spoke with the local manager who said he would move the magazines to a higher rack. I can't wait to see where they end up. I'm hoping that they'll be moved to the magazine aisle but thinking that they'll only be moved up to my eye level....)
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8 commentators:
About a year ago there was a Vanity Fair magazine on the Walmart shelves that featured Paris Hilton on the cover---no shirt on, just arms crossed over her chest. It was right in the aisle and I noticed it when I spied my son looking at it.
I immediately asked for a CSM and was greeted, very rudely, by an overly busy gal who was obviously not having a good day. She told me it was not the store's responsibility to keep my kids from seeing stuff like that. We "chatted" for a moment and I reminded her that Walmart is supposedly a "family" store and things got a little heated. then she called the manager over (I think she expected him to back her up) and he not only removed the magazine from all of the check-out aisles, but he also placed the magazines in the magazine aisle of the store with a plastic cover in front of it. He also apologized profusely. He did say that he wasn't able to remove the magazine from the store completely, but he wished he could.
Sometimes I think it makes a difference who you talk to about stuff like this. Families are the back-bone of stores like this and what we have to say is a big deal. If the first person you talk to doesn't listen, talk to someone else.
If a store won't take care to keep garbage out of my children's line of vision, I won't shop there. Period!
By the way, good for you for making the phone-call!
I had the same experience (that mag at 4yo's eye level) in a local grocery store recently. Fortunately I rarely shop there, but I was very displeased.
Thank you, Randi, for speaking up for purity and decency!
My husband tried contacting the manager of the local store this afternoon but he as not in. He'll call again tomorrow.
Blessings,
Hannah
Wow that was very poor customer service. I work in a B&N college store and we don't carry the magazine in question but we do carry a lot of others. And I tend to go through fixing the displays so that the people who want to read them can see the title but so little ones can't see anything even slightly questionable. I work at a County 2 year college and we get a lot of students with children.
It's sad that a grocery store isn't more family friendly.
LOL! i thought I was the only one who subtly covered up embarrassing covers...i feel queezy just being by them when JUST my mom is around!!! i always have the thought "oh goodness, what if someone thinks IM looking at this??". I also hate being in checkout lines when practically naked women are staring out at my hubby...i wouldnt like it any better if it were my little boy!
Hannah,
I think it is GREAT that your husband is attempting to call the store. I wish more men would take the lead in this!
When women speak up, I think that people take it as if we are jealous or can't handle the competition, rather than as a modesty issue. When men say that they don't want to see it, they are taken more seriously.
I hope you post about the store's reaction if he is able to get through to the manager!
Great post Hannah. I am linking you tomorrow.
BTW happy bday
Hannah,
I found your post while trying to research if others have the same outrage. I see that I am posting half a year later - yet this time, the cover of the swimsuit issue features a woman with, I kid you not, a spray-painted "swimsuit" on. Only spray paint. How is this not nudity? How can this be approved for display in our public places? I'm outraged at this - I hope you can all join me in expressing how phenominally wrong this is!
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