Mumsnet Lads' Mags Survey
As part of our Let Girls Be Girls campaign, we asked Mumsnetters what they thought about men's lifestyle magazines (also known as 'lads' mags') being displayed where children can see them.
82% said they'd seen publications with sexually provocative images on the cover displayed like this, and 9 out of 10 respondents said they didn't like it.
So we wrote to news retailers, and we're delighted that Sainsburys, Morrisons, Waitrose, BP*, ASDA, The Co-operative Group and Tesco have all pledged to support our campaign to keep lad mags out of children's view, in all their stores.
Survey results
| Mumsnet Sexual Images Survey Nov 10 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Some retailers display newspapers and magazines with sexually provocative images where they can easily be seen by children while others take steps to hide them from children or make it hard for them to see. How strongly do you feel about this issue? Tick one | ||
| Answer Options | Response Percent | Response Count |
| I feel strongly that these publications should be hidden from children | 69% | 696 |
| I agree these these publications should be hidden from children but I don't feel strongly about it | 25% | 253 |
| It is not an issue that concerns me | 5% | 46 |
| I do not think these publications should be hidden from children in shops | 1% | 7 |
| Don't know/ no opinion | 0% | 5 |
| answered question | 1002 | 1007 |
| Are you offended by images of sexually provocative images on the covers of newspapers and magazines when you see them in shops?Are you offended by images of sexually provocative images on the covers of newspapers and magazines when you see them in shops? | ||
| Answer Options | Response Percent | Response Count |
| Yes I am offended by all of them | 37% | 377 |
| Yes I am offended by some of them | 40% | 399 |
| No I am not offended by them at all | 20% | 206 |
| Don't know | 2% | 25 |
| answered question | 1002 | 1007 |
| Thinking about publications which feature sexually provocative images on the cover and with regard to children being exposed to them in retailers, which of the following comes closest to how they should be displayed? | ||
| Answer Options | Response Percent | Response Count |
| They should be displayed as part of the normal magazine/ newspaper display - ie anywhere on the shelving | 2% | 20 |
| They should be displayed on the top shelf only | 23% | 230 |
| They should be sold only with opaque covers so that the whole image is not visible | 46% | 463 |
| They should be turned round so you can only see the back, not the front cover | 3% | 27 |
| They should not be sold at all by mainstream retailers | 24% | 238 |
| Don't know | 3% | 29 |
| answered question | 1003 | 1007 |
| Within the last year or so, have you seen in retailers newspapers or magazines with sexually provocative images on the cover displayed where children can or could easily see them? (It doesn't matter if you were with your children or not) | ||
| Answer Options | Response Percent | Response Count |
| Yes | 82% | 830 |
| No | 7% | 72 |
| Don't know | 10% | 105 |
| answered question | 1001 | 1007 |
| If yes, which retailers have you noticed displaying these kind of publications where children can see them? Base: All who have noticed retailers displaying newspapers/ magazeines with sexually provocative images on the cover (844) | ||
| Answer Options | Response Percent | Response Count |
| Tesco | 32% | 271 |
| Asda | 16% | 137 |
| Morrisons | 8% | 64 |
| Sainsbury's | 16% | 131 |
| WHSmith | 31% | 259 |
| Waitrose | 2% | 20 |
| M&S | 2% | 19 |
| Motorway service station/ petrol garage | 52% | 436 |
| The Co-operative | 17% | 143 |
| Local Newsagent | 76% | 641 |
| Other (see next page) | 8% | 71 |
| answered question | 844 | 844 |
| skipped question | 163 | 163 |
| In terms of both your willingness to shop there and your overall perception of the retailer, did the display of these newspapers or magazines have a negative (ie you don't or try not to shop there), neutral (made no difference) or positive (makes you want to shop there more) effect for you? | ||
| Answer Options | Negative | Neutral/ no effect |
| Willingness to shop there | 460 | 441 |
| Overall perception | 683 | 230 |
| Answer Options | Negative | Neutral/ no effect |
| Willingness to shop there | 46% | 44% |
| Overall perception | 68% | 23% |
| Which publications do you feel regularly use images on their front covers which are not appropriate for children? Please tick all which apply | ||
| Answer Options | Response Percent | Response Count |
| Nuts | 81% | 814 |
| Zoo | 76% | 769 |
| Loaded | 65% | 651 |
| The Sun | 33% | 336 |
| The Daily Sport | 62% | 627 |
| The Sunday Sport | 59% | 599 |
| Front | 15% | 147 |
| Gear | 8% | 83 |
| Stuff | 13% | 126 |
| None | 1% | 13 |
| Don't know of any | 9% | 93 |
| Other (see next page) | 11% | 110 |
| answered question | 985 | 1007 |
| On balance which of the following options most applies to you? | ||
| Answer Options | Response Percent | Response Count |
| It doesn't particularly bother me if my children see these images | 7% | 66 |
| I do not wish my children to see these images | 91% | 921 |
| Don't know | 2% | 20 |
| answered question | 1002 | 1007 |
| If you do not wish your children to be exposed to these images, on which grounds do you object? Tick all that apply Base: All who do not wish their child to see these images (936) | ||
| Answer Options | Response Percent | Response Count |
| They constitute sexual material, which it is not appropriate for display to children | 72% | 673 |
| They are not appropriate because they objectify women and/or commodify their bodies. | 86% | 800 |
| They present a particular version of female sexuality which I don't wish my children to think is the 'norm' | 90% | 840 |
| I don't wish my child to see nudity or near-nudity | 6% | 57 |
| I am offended on religious grounds | 3% | 29 |
| I feel uncomfortable answering my child's questions about these images | 7% | 66 |
| Answering my child's questions means discussing adult themes that I don't feel they are yet ready to understand | 32% | 299 |
| Other (see next page) | 3% | 27 |
| answered question | 936 | 936 |
| skipped question | 71 | 71 |
| Has your child ever asked you a question or made a comment about these publications? If so, how old were they when they FIRST made the comment/ asked the question? Tick youngest age or NO Child has never made a comment or asked a question. | ||
| Answer Options | Response Percent | Response Count |
| NO: Child has never made a comment or asked a question | 73% | 733 |
| 2-4 | 9% | 86 |
| 5-6 | 7% | 69 |
| 7-8 | 4% | 36 |
| 9-10 | 2% | 16 |
| 10-11 | 0% | 5 |
| 12-13 | 0% | 1 |
| 13-16 | 0% | 0 |
| 17+ | 0% | 1 |
| Can't remember | 6% | 60 |
| answered question | 988 | 1007 |
| How old are your children? Please tick all that apply | How old are your children? Please tick all that apply | How old are your children? Please tick all that apply |
| Answer Options | Response Percent | Response Count |
| Under 1 | 21% | 206 |
| 1 | 16% | 155 |
| 2 | 20% | 187 |
| 3 | 22% | 211 |
| 4 | 18% | 176 |
| 5 | 17% | 160 |
| 6 | 13% | 121 |
| 7 | 13% | 122 |
| 8 | 8% | 76 |
| 9 | 9% | 86 |
| 10 | 7% | 69 |
| 11 | 7% | 66 |
| 12 | 4% | 40 |
| 13 | 5% | 43 |
| 14 | 2% | 22 |
| 15 | 3% | 29 |
| 16 | 2% | 17 |
| 17 | 2% | 20 |
| 18 | 1% | 9 |
| 19+ | 3% | 31 |
| answered question | 961 | 961 |
| Not stated | 46 | 46 |
Last updated: about 3 years ago