News

Alison Savory wrote to the Chief Executive of Boots after her children picked up a sex toy in the Camberley branch
advertisement

Horrified mum boycotts Boots after children pick up sex toy

By Becky Barnes
January 14, 2013

A disgusted mum is boycotting high street chemist Boots after she found her children playing with a sex toy near the checkouts.

Alison Savory wrote to Boots chief executive Alex Gourlay after her sons, aged six and eight, picked up a purple Durex vibrator displayed ‘prominently’ in the store.

The mum-of-three, from Crowthorne, said: “Call me a prude, but it is not something children should be exposed to.

“Boots presents a family image – since when did it turn into Ann Summers?”

Alison, an acupuncturist, let her sons wait near the tills at the Camberley store while paying for her shopping with her two-year-old daughter on December 23.

She said: “I don’t choose to take my children into a sex shop, but in a family shop I felt happy for the children to run around.”

The 42-year-old was ‘flabbergasted’ and ‘embarrassed’ when she found them playing with the penis-shaped toy displayed at their eye level by a wall of condoms next to the till.

She said “I wasn’t ready to have that conversation in the middle of a busy Boots – I was very embarrassed.

“I felt Boots took my choice away as a parent and that upset me.”

Alison’s letter asked the chief executive to consider the ‘early sexualisation’ of children in a world where their ‘innocence and lives are already bombarded with inappropriate images’.

She wrote to say she was ‘deeply disappointed’ a family company was contributing to the ‘erosion’ and urged him to consider whether the products and product placement were appropriate.

Responding on behalf of Mr Gourlay, Jennifer Freeman, customer manager, said the products were sold ‘after much research and as a result of customer demand’.

She said Boots believed the products were beneficial for customers and their sexual wellbeing and were presented to ‘demystify’ customers.

She added they were stocked in the healthcare area where customers could receive advice and support, but they would take Alison’s feedback on board.

Alison said: “I don’t want my children demystified in Boots and they took away my choice about what my children are exposed to in the pursuit of profit.

“I have therefore made the decision to boycott Boots and have asked them to donate my Advantage Card credit to NSPCC.”

She said she thinks if products like this are on sale they should be out of a child’s eyeline.

Alison shared her experiences on Facebook, which triggered outrage among mums.

Mum Emma Frost, 33, from Jennett’s Park, said “I think it’s appalling for a family shop which sells children’s clothes and aims strongly for parents as a demographic.

“I wouldn’t want to be in the situation where I’m forced to explain that kind of thing to my daughter as the sexualisation of young people now is such a horrible and hard issue to try and control as it is.”

| Submit Comments | View Comments (38)

« Previous Story | Next Story »

Most recent user comments 15 of 38

1 | 2 | 3 | Next Page Show 15 | 25 | 50 per page

What a complete prude if you cant buy this sort of thing in Boots where can anyone go ??????

yoda, Reading
16/03/2013 at 00:13

Boots is not a playground, it's a chemist store with many products that are unsuitable for children if they get hold of them. I suggest this mother, instead of being horrified that her children were playing with with items, that don't belong to her, supervise her children and don't let them run around while she shops. Personally, I'm sick of having kids running around unsupervised by parents, who are often gabbing on their phones, poking, opening, playing with, things that are for sale. Such a shame Boots have demystified her children and she's going to boycott them. Good, the rest of us can shop in peace.

Silver surfer., Bracknell
23/01/2013 at 15:37

Lainie sorry for my delay in reply, i have been busy playing minecraft with my online/real friends. My vicarious way of life is in no way limited to online 'NEWS' papers such as this. In fact, in quite well known and respected in the lifestile forums such as mumsnet which i frequent on a regular basis, imposing my advice on those such as yourself who don't need it in the REAL world. Rearding your comment "No problem with Boots stocking them, just not at childrens eye / touch level or that close to the till" I assume that you are recommending that boots place someone on the door so that, should they spot someone with a child,they move the offending items to a higher level then, should some slightly older/taller children enter, they move them to another, higher level. Would THAT be acceptable or are you one of those who are NEVER satisfied, no matter how hard these multi million pound profit makers try?

Country chap, wokingham
20/01/2013 at 15:56

Neal - reading the comments on Daily Fail - she has made herself look a complete twit

Her poor FaceBook friend from Jennett's Park must be mortified her Facebook comment has gone viral!

CMK
20/01/2013 at 13:21

I hope I won the Euromillions last night, mainly because I want to follow this woman around and see if she ever goes into a Boots shop again. Imagine the torture she'll experience when there's a Boots RIGHT THERE and Superdrug is a bus ride to the next nearest provincial griefhole.

Bumface, London
19/01/2013 at 15:43

I hope I won the Euromillions last night, mainly because I want to follow this woman around for the rest of her life, watching her torture when there's a Boots RIGHT THERE and the nearest Superdrug is a bus ride away to next provincial griefhole.

Bumface, London
19/01/2013 at 15:43

I think Ms Savory, LicAc, MBAcC, PhD has made herself look rather silly, not just here but also to the 628 people who commented on the Daily Mail Story:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2260984/Horrified-mother-boycotts-Boots-finding-young-children-playing-sex-toy-near-checkouts.html#comments

If I need acupuncture for anything I shall be sure to steer clear of someone who overreacts in such a way.

Neal Evans, Forest Park
18/01/2013 at 23:20

Wait until the kids get their hands on the interweb

Paul Daniels' reattached finger.
18/01/2013 at 07:48

Horrified of Crowthorne.

What a terrible experience. Make sure you never take your children into a newsagent as they may open a paper and see ladies rudey bits. Never take them to a chinese takeaway either as they wil try to sell you prawn balls and squid rings. It's a wicked perverse world out there you must fight it.

parlovero, Earley
18/01/2013 at 07:10

And for the record, I googled local newspapers (although I assumed she lived here in Camberley) having just been reminding my sister about the family in Boots last week, as at the time, she looked so horrified (and so were we to be fair, although we spotted the toys and distracted our kids from looking at them...that lady didn't see them).

No problem with Boots stocking them, just not at childrens eye / touch level or that close to the till. That way I can choose not to take them over to that area.

Lainie
17/01/2013 at 22:16

Ah bless you, I have heard that there are people who believe every little detail word for word, that they read in the press, and here you are!

Please try to get an overall grasp on REALITY! Us grown ups are out here living in the real world with our real lives, rather thanjust living vicariously through online papers...

Lainie
17/01/2013 at 22:11

Lainie, which bit of: QUOTE: "She said: “I don’t choose to take my children into a sex shop, but in a family shop I felt happy for the children to run around.”

Is it that is confusing your pretty little head into thinking that the boys were NOT running around?

The comments people are making don't NECESSARILY relate to the time of the incident. Please try to get an overall grasp of what the grown ups are saying here.

Country chap, wokingham
17/01/2013 at 20:19

Unfortunately, you're not commenting on the facts. The boys weren't 'running round', they were with her at the till. She said that in a shop like that, she felt safe for them to be walking round without her. They weren't at that time though, they were next to her. I don't feel till points at children's eye and hand level is appropriate for sex toys.

Lainie
17/01/2013 at 16:41

This is totally ridiculous. If you watch after your children in a shop instead of letting them Run free this could have been easily prevented. Complete over reaction. .