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

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I don’t think it’s prudish to not want your young children playing with sex toys in a major high street store, sorry. I totally empathise with Mrs Savory on this. What next, crotchless pants next to the tills at Tesco!!! I have no problem with the sale or use of sex toys but I personally go to great lengths to protect my children from inappropriate behaviour. They have plenty of time to learn about such things when they are older. Not sure why Mrs Savoy is so derided here simply because she took offence at the open sale of sex toys in a high-street shop!! Anyway, comparing the sale of a sex toy to that of sanitary towels is laughable

the badger, Farley Hill
14/01/2013 at 14:53

just been past Boots.no sign of the lone shopper boycott.obviously at another shop with her marauding offspring trying to see if she can get some freebies for all the 'Distress' her little cherubs could be suffering from when they are left on their own in the shop.another parent who seems to think its everybody elses fault that they are not in control of their feral offsping.when i go to chinese for a meal i dont expect to get an indian same as i wouldnt go to mothercare to buy myself a 3 piece suit as its for infants.so to be in a chemist and be suprised that they sell items that most other shops dont sell is beyond belief.i might go to Tescos and boycott them because some woman has put her sanitary towels in the trolley that i am now using.get a grip woman-have home delivery but tell the nice man to knock on the door very quietly as it may make you jump.

Concerned Alot
14/01/2013 at 13:34

As a parent I can understand Mrs Savory's (really?!) discombobulation. But let's be clear, a two year old will have no understanding of what the item in question is, it's intimate uses, or why their parent is clearly hung up on such matters.

Perhaps Boots ought to consider it's product placement a little better. But then if we remain uptight about such matters and give vent to our deep seated prudery then how are we ever to raise our little darlings with a thoughtful and common sense approach to intimate behaviour between consenting adults (or maybe consenting adult singular, as the case maybe).

Anyway, coffee break over - perhaps a little 'me' time is in order!

Maddie Vegas, Hanworth, Bracknell
14/01/2013 at 11:54

I cant say I ever want to have a conversation with my children on what a sex toy is and how to use it?

Does this mean that all pregnant women should hide away from the shops in case some ones child asks "mummy what's in that ladies tummy"??

blunt as a brick, forest park
14/01/2013 at 11:33

Classic. I have a friend, who, some years ago, was at a Christmas party given by a mate of her's. There were some excited children running present, and, at one point, one of the small boys came running downstairs and into the living room making rocket-noises and running about the place going 'Vrmmmm!' in front of the guests, holding a toy space shuttle in his hands. Suddenly, one of the guests said: "What's that he's got?"

It was actually the party organiser's, er, 'special toy,' which he'd taken from her bedroom upstairs, thinking it was a toy rocket.

I'm told the mother, in front of the 40 or so guests, wanted to die.

Sorry - the above isn't entirely relvant but it's a lot more entertaining than this story. My goodness. I'd have just told the child it was a toy space rocket and instructed him or her to put it back on the shelf.

The moral of the story: Shop at Superdrug.

dodgynews, Bracknell
14/01/2013 at 10:49

VERY slow news day?

Tom Edwards, Bracknell
14/01/2013 at 09:22

I doubt that a two year old has even the slightest idea what it was they were playing with and would want an explanation as to what it was. Why feel so embarrased anyway?

Also, take some responisibilties for your children and don't let them run about in shops! When they get hurt (or find something they shouldn't be playing with) who gets the blame, Yes Boots.