A protective young mum has launched a petition after being left “disgusted” at adult items supposedly placed in the baby and toddler aisle at a Tesco supermarket, the Manchester Evening News reports.
Ayesha Idrees, 28, told how she had to “shield her son’s eyes” during her weekly grocery shop on Huddersfield Road, Oldham, in Greater Manchester.
The items were reportedly stocked at eye-level with her one-year-old son when she was pushing him in his pram, and the situation made her feel very uncomfortable.
Ayesha claims she spoke to the store manager to let him know how she felt about the placement, but the next time she visited the shop, the adult sex toys were still in the same place.
The young mum claims the manager merely told her, her son would not know what the toys were, yet Ayesha believed it was inappropriate to “expose innocent eyes to sexual content”.
Ayesha has launched a petition which states “it is crucial to create a safe and appropriate environment” for children.
On her petition page, the parent writes: “As a parent myself, I have experienced firsthand the challenges of raising children and ensuring their well-being.
“It was during one of my routine shopping trips to Tesco that I noticed adult toys displayed alongside baby products. This unexpected encounter left me feeling uncomfortable and concerned about the potential impact on my children’s innocence.”
Part of the reason she wants people to sign the petition is to relocate the adult toys to a “separate section” of the store, away from areas frequented by families.
She reported Ayesha’s frustration with Tesco: “The issue isn’t that they are displaying [adult toys], it’s the fact they’re displaying them at the baby aisle where so many children will be exposed to it. It’s a family supermarket – they should be more cautious with where they place things. The manager meant no offence, but he said my child won’t exactly know what it is.”
The full-time mum added: “But it’s not about if the child recognises what the item is, it should not be displayed to begin with. It doesn’t matter if the child understands or not. It made me a bit angry because an older child, who is also innocent, might understand what it is.”
Tesco has since shared the feedback with the storm team.
At supermarkets such as Tesco, the layout of stores and positioning of products sold are carefully considered. Sexual wellness products are generally part of wellness and beauty aisles and positioned on higher shelves.
