I’m wondering whether I should stop shopping at WHSmith. I’ve recently discovered that what I thought was a respectable family store is actually a peddler of porn.
Not as respectable as I thought
On one of my first visits to my local Sainsburys, I had a discussion with a chap stacking the magazine racks. The lads mags were being placed at knee height, as usual. Sainsburys were very prompt though. The chap I spoke with went straight to his manager, who got him to move the mags immediately. And then he came and found me and told me
a) that he’d moved the mags and
b) that the shelf stacking plan came from WHSmith, who supplied the magazines.
And then this weekend, I had to go to our local newsagents for emergency milk (another bumper crop of visitors). When I asked him why he had so much porn on his shelves he told me that
a) when they took over the shop WHSmith supplied them with that amount and
b) there was a market for it.
I told my newsagents that his shop was bottom of our list, because of his porn stock but it sounds to me like WHSmith are dictating the marketing of porn and pushing it. Should I start a boycott? Will it do any good and would you join me?
The Vicar's Wife 
I have regularly and frequently complained about the disgusting images that children can see in all newsagents, with some rare and honourable exceptions. It makes me sad and angry to see even the Daily Sport on the bottom shelf where my little boy can see it. Please do boycott and protest as noisily as you have the energy for. I wish everyone would instead of just accepting this filth.
It is possible for newsagents to reject the porn that WH Smiths provide them with. One of my local ones did it – quite a battle, but managed it. See
http://www.n16mag.com/issue29/8.htm
Hi Cal, and welcome to the Vicarage. That’s a very encouraging article, thanks.
I can’t stand it! I am so sick of seeing women’s bottoms and boobs everywhere.
You should know that there is legislation in place that prohibits any sexually-indecent material to be placed any lower than 6ft in height. You would do well to research this and use it if you can.
I’m currently using as many forms of social media that I can to fight against The Co-Operative on this very same issue. My blog post about it is here: http://mikebeecham.posterous.com/thecooperative-social-media-and-the-need-for
Dont stop fighting it…we can enforce a change.