WHS bans under 14s from buying shooting magazines

[Gaz]

Aha, looks like you can write to them... http://www.whsmith.co.uk/Support/HelpCo ... Smith.aspx

Dear Sir/Madam

I note from the Daily Telegraph that WH Smith has banned the sale of shooting magazines to U14s, at the behest of a minority political pressure group. I write to ask when you will extend this ban to U17s buying motoring magazines and to all age groups for magazines promoting and glorifying violence, particularly those specialising in video games consoles.

I would also like to inform you that, until this ludicrous policy is revoked by your company, I will not be spending any money in any of your stores and I will strongly encourage everybody I know to do likewise through all of the means available to me.

Yours faithfully
Gaz

[Chuck]

And what about teen magazines for girls..just porn by all accounts.....and magazines on martial arts, boxing, wrestling and body building (homo erotic)...where does it stop.

bet these loony animal righters have sent threateners to WH Smith..

[John25]

Aha, looks like you can write to them... http://www.whsmith.co.uk/Support/HelpCo ... Smith.aspx

Dear Sir/Madam

I note from the Daily Telegraph that WH Smith has banned the sale of shooting magazines to U14s, at the behest of a minority political pressure group. I write to ask when you will extend this ban to U17s buying motoring magazines and to all age groups for magazines promoting and glorifying violence, particularly those specialising in video games consoles.

I would also like to inform you that, until this ludicrous policy is revoked by your company, I will not be spending any money in any of your stores and I will strongly encourage everybody I know to do likewise through all of the means available to me.

Yours faithfully
Gaz

The link seems to be down, is it just me?

[Christel]

Works for me.

[Watcher]

I shall never darken its doors again and encourage others to do likewise.

[Meaty]

Gutless winkers!! why did WH Smiths bow down from a bit of pressure from a insignificant group like Animal Aid? As stated already, when are they going to start banning arse-wipe magazines that encourage underage girls to have sex (the shelves are full of them!)
It would be nice to see a legal challenge to this b.s.

[Sandgroper]

BASC press release http://www.basc.org.uk/en/media/pressre ... 195F4E08F6

BASC has condemned the decision by WHSmith to stop under 14-year-olds from buying shooting magazines.
The company says it has taken this decision in the erroneous belief that 14 is the legal age for "obtaining" a firearm. In fact, there are many age limits in firearms legislation and 14 is not one of them.

Those under 14-years-old can shoot if supervised by an adult. This occurs across the country with parents and guardians, in shooting clubs, the Cadet corps and the Scout movement.

BASC has asked WHSmith to withdraw the policy and is awaiting a response. Should WHSmith refuse, BASC will campaign against the policy.

BASC's director of communications, Christopher Graffius, said: "It is extraordinary that in WHSmith you can buy a car magazine at any age despite the age limit of 17 for driving. You can also buy numerous war magazines which depict the killing of people yet WHSmith is concerned about children buying shooting magazines, a legal and an Olympic sport.

"It is ironic that at the recent three party conferences, front bench spokesmen and Government ministers from all major parties sang the praises of shooting sports for the sense of responsibility and discipline that they encourage in the children who take them up; yet WHSmith is trying to keep the magazines that encourage that approach out of children's hands. They are also causing enormous offence to adult shooters who are stopped at auto-scan tills."

[Mr_Logic]

I had a bit of a rant as I was grumpy.

I write regarding your recently publicized decision to impose a ban upon children under the age of 14 from purchasing shooting-related literature. I should be most grateful if my email can be forwarded to the person responsible for this policy.

Your spokesman is quoted as saying "as part of our commitment to operate our business responsibly, we have a till prompt on shooting titles. It asks our store teams to check that the customer is 14 years old or over, based on this being the legal age at which someone can possess a firearms certificate."

My first reaction is - how dare you? Shooting is a peaceful Olympic sport, enjoyed by millions. It is not cruel, nor does it glorify violence in any way.

Your stance is ridiculous. Take car magazines -many also feature scantily clad ladies, a more 'adult' theme. Do you impose a similar ban on purchases by the under-17s, since 17 is the age at which you may legally have a driving license?

How about computer magazines which feature pictures from games which are adult-rated? Are they also to be restricted?

How does a customer prove they are 14? By simply saying they are, as there is no common ID for someone so young? If this is the case, I suspect you might suddenly find that young boys' voices are breaking somewhat later in life than before!

Your stance is illogical, badly planned and based on information spread by activists. Those activists simply do not base their opinions on reality. They see a picture with some blood in it and assume it's all evil and cruel.

Should we also ban cookery magazines, as they might contain pictures with bloody meat in them?

Clearly such a notion is preposterous. Hunting of wild animals is the least cruel way in which to provide meat. The animals in question know nothing of their fate (unlike farmed animals) until the final second. Death is as close to instant as possible, and during its life the animal has had freedom. As a result, it tastes far better too.

How can this be considered cruel, in a society where battery farming is allowed? Does it make sense to censor this information from young people, when all it proves is that there is a better way to produce food than sometimes-cruel farming methods?

Shooting makes people more responsible, it teaches about good food production values and methods, and promotes a balanced approach to life.

I will happily prove this to anyone who doubts it.

I urge you to drop this policy forthwith. Should you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact me.

[Polchraine]

Emails sent to both Customer Services and the CEO ... the CEO has not read the email yet, but I know it has been received.

Customer Services replied with:

Dear Customer

Thank you for your email.

WHSmith aims to offer our customers choice, whilst striking the right balance and not acting as a censor. WHSmith seeks to do its best to satisfy all of its customers who often have strongly opposing views. We aim to display all of our magazines in locations where they are accessible to those who want to buy them, but do not offend those who do not. The till prompt system has been in place for many years on a range of different products and this has not previously been an issue for customers.


Denise Hughes

Customer Service Team Manager

That is the same as everyone has received. So I then replied to that with:

Dear Ms Hughes

You seem to have missed the point of my original comment. Why is there a till prompt system in place for items that do not legally require it? There is not legal minimum age for the purchase of Shooting Times or similar - so why is there a prompt and why if someone fails to meet you arbitrary age limit they will not be allowed to purchase the magazine?

I have no problems with till prompt systems where they are required to ensure legal minimum ages are adhered to - cigarettes, knives/blades, glue/solvent &c. But the definition of those ages is in UK law not an arbitrary decision by your company.

Rgds

And then received a reply from higher up which actually used my name rather than a generic "customer"

Dear Aaaaaaa

Thank you for your further e mail which has been passed to me as Head of Customer Services for investigation and response.

I apologise if you feel that our initial reply did not sufficiently address all of your previous concerns.

I would like to assure you that WHSmith respects the views expressed by all customers. We are therefore now in the process of assimilating all of this further feedback, to assist us in looking into this issue.

If I can be of any further assistance at any point , please do not hesitate to contact me.


Juliette Cavilla

Head of Customer Services

So it has got somewhere.

[ronboy]

Yesterday I went into WHSmiths and asked for the manager and was told she was at lunch. As I didnt want to hang about, I explained to an employee that after many years of buying books and magazines
their, I will not venture into Smiths again. My reasons I told her was a misinformed head manager has decide to put shooting books on the top shelf. I then explained in depth my reasons fully. I made my point. I will go in and check from time to time and if mags are on the top shelf, I'll shift them, as I have done with newspapers I have found offensive in supermarkets.