Cosmopolitan magazine pulled from Walmart checkout lanes
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – You’ll still find candy, batteries and other small items at Walmart’s checkout lines. But what you won’t be able to pick up on a whim is Cosmopolitan magazine.
Cosmopolitan, owned by Hearst Communications, describes itself as a “bible for fun, fearless females that reaches more than 18 million readers a month.” Cosmo’s known for its provocative covers and sex tips, among other articles.
Walmart has decided Cosmo is too much for its checkout lines, and will now only carry it in the store’s magazine aisle.
In a statement, Walmart announced, “As with all products in our store, we continue to evaluate our assortment and make changes. Walmart will continue to offer Cosmopolitan to customers that wish to purchase the magazine, but it will no longer be located in the checkout aisles. While this was primarily a business decision, the concerns raised were heard.”
The organization National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) helped instigate the policy change, and is cheering the move.
In a statement posted on its website, NCOSE responded to the decision, saying “Cosmo’s hyper-sexualized and degrading article titles promote pornography and other offenses.”
Walmart’s decision comes amid the #MeToo movement, which raises awareness of sexual harassment and assault. The movement, however, hasn’t focused on pornography.
As of Wednesday morning, the publisher of Cosmopolitan, Hearst Communications, hadn’t commented on the decision.