Three sex toys from UK manufacturer Rocks-Off will be on sale in 500 branches of Sainsbury’s very soon. The UK’s second largest supermarket chain will be stocking the Rocks-Off Rose Gold Bullet, the Rose Blush Bullet, and the Aura Mini Massager. Retail prices will be £8, £12, and £15 respectively.
Newspaper reports have stated that Sainsbury’s decision to increase its pleasure products offering – it already stocks the Durex Play range – is the result of research conducted by Oxford Economics and the National Centre for Social Research on the retailer’s behalf. Its Living Well Index found that people’s wellbeing had fallen in the last year, particularly in the ‘relationships’ and ‘social connections’ categories.
Paul Mills-Hicks, food commercial director at Sainsbury’s, was quoted as saying: “We are always on the lookout for new opportunities to help our customers live well for less and they’ve told us that sexual wellbeing is an area they would like to see more choice in. Our Living Well Index clearly shows this is an important area for customers’ overall wellbeing. By introducing a new range at affordable prices, we hope to give customers the option to buy quickly and conveniently in an environment they feel comfortable with.”
As always with news stories like this, when sex toys collide with mainstream, it is worth visiting the Daily Mail website to peruse the reader comments. And it didn’t disappoint: “Sales of bananas and cucumbers will fall drastically,” said one wag, while another, more imaginatively, commented, “Aldi’s version, the Bratwurst 6000, can be found in its Random isles (sic) next to the petrol woodchippers and sledge hammers”.
Other views included: “People who use sex toys won’t get into heaven, unless used in the context of a healthy marriage” and “Is this a joke? I’m absolutely appalled at the thought of a supermarket selling sex toys where families with their kids shop. You should be ashamed of yourself!”
