shelves in the past year because of concerns about its content.
Questionable language, unsound doctrine or an author or artist who
had fallen were among the most common reasons cited by the 54 percent of
respondents who told Christian Retailing they had withdrawn an item.
The
majority (80 percent) of those who took part in the magazine’s latest Vital
Signs industry survey, looking at how stores handle controversial
content, said that they felt that they have a responsibility to operate
as “a safe environment for Christian shoppers with regard to content.”
Two-thirds (66 percent) said that they saw their role as one that protects
customers by selecting “product that will not tempt (Christians) to
stray from their faith.”
Content decisions in most stores lie with
the owner or manager in for-profit stores and the manager or clerical
leader in church stores, the survey found. But only 5% of respondents
had any type of written policy stating exactly what content would get a
book pulled.
Over half (55 percent) of stores said that they had stickers
attached to certain products—mostly books and music—that it was felt
should be handled carefully. Some managers required frontline staff to
point out these “content warning stickers” or other types of content
alert attached to certain products when customers reach the checkout
counter.
Read the full report in the July issue of Christian Retailing magazine.
