THEGAYUK

Tag: Retail

All the latest breaking news on retail. Browse The THEGAYUK’s complete collection of features and commentary on retail and the LGBT+ community.

  • There’s a candle on sale that apparently smells of man’s butt

    There’s a candle on sale that apparently smells of man’s butt

    Do you remember when Gwyenth Paltrow sold a candle that smelled of her vagina? It was, for some reason, an instant success and led to her goop site being swamped with customers wanting to get a whiff of a famous Vajayjay.

    Now, however, someone has come up with another version and it’s called The Bussy Candle. Yes, for those who don’t know Bussy is a combination of the word boy and pussy or butthole and pussy.

    The candle apparently smells an “unforgettable, slightly familiar, slightly novel scent” according to the makers of the candle, which retails for $29.00 on the website, a far cry away from Gwyenth’s $75 fragrance.

    The makers add, “People often ask; “what does it smell like?” Well, it smells like Bussy, duh. But not just any Bussy, this is Bussy perfected, Bussy as it should be. Truly exquisite Bussy. So, no, it doesn’t smell “bad.” This is actually a scent you will enjoy.”

    The question is would you really want the smell of butt (no matter how lovely it is) wafting around your home this Christmas, instead of a plugin Glade Pine and Spice Apple blend?

    candle smelling of man's ass
    © Ongap | Dreamstime Stock Photos & Stock Free Images

    What do people think of the Bussy Candle?

    Well, let’s see what the reviewers are saying…

    Ian, who bought the candle recently said, “Even after a short burn, the sweet smell from the bussy candle lingers long in the air…it almost reminds me of when I had a boyfriend, except it smells even better than he did.”

    While Hector added, “I thought I’d seen it all but here we are. It really is the perfect gift for the gay who as it all”

    $2 from every candle sold goes to the Trevor Project.

  • Sainsbury’s has told bigots that they can shop elsewhere

    Sainsbury’s has told bigots that they can shop elsewhere

    Sainsbury‘s has a long history of speaking out on social issues, including and during Pride season, but for Black History Month, it’s gone a step further, by telling anyone who doesn’t support their inclusive approach can “shop elsewhere”.

    The retail giant has swapped out its Pride logo and replaced it with an equally colourful logo for Black History Month. Black History Month runs in the UK for the whole of October. In the US and around the globe October is actually LGBT+ History Month.

    Posting on social media, Sainsbury’s wrote a thread to communicate how inclusive and diverse they are aiming to be as a company, saying,

    “We are proud to celebrate Black History Month together with our Black colleagues, customers and communities and we ill not tolerate racism.

    “We proudly represent and serve our diverse society and anyone who does not want to shop with an inclusive retailer is welcome to shop elsewhere.”

    Of course, the thread attracted a wide range of comments. Many people took issue with the tone of the retailer’s message, with one writing “How bloody rude! As a long time customer and a loyal customer, I find your tone extremely offensive”

    Another added, “You have just lost my custom”

    Another moaned, “Many thanks for the offensive tweet. I will certainly take your advice and shop elsewhere in future. I would also recommend anyone who like their personal freedoms and does not wish to be preached at by some jumped up shopkeeper to do the same. Bye Bye Sainsbury.”

    Others asked when “white history month” was. An argument which is often heard when talking about the importance of the pride movement.

    “Anyone offended by this post clearly harbours racist views”

    However many people praised Sainsbury’s stance with one confirmed their devotion to the retailer saying “I shop at Sainsbury’s anyway but this just confirms my choice.”

    Writer, speaker and Young Women’s Trust ambassador, Toni Tone said, “So happy to see Sainsbury’s speaking up for what’s right. Anyone offended by this post clearly harbours racist views.”

    https://twitter.com/t0nit0ne/status/1312324744478429184
  • These gay sex and lifestyle shops have reopened in England

    These gay sex and lifestyle shops have reopened in England

    Following advice from the government, numerous gay shops have reopened their doors, following on from the COVID-19 lockdown that has forced the majority of the UK’s “non-essential” retail shops to close.

    Stores in Scotland will remain closed for the foreseeable future as Scotland’s government have yet to announce a date for lockdown easement. Stores in Wales and Northern Ireland could start to reopen from Friday.

    Prowler which has five stores across England tweeted that its stores in Soho, Bournemouth, Bristol and Brighton had all reopened.

    Clonezone also tweeted that it had reopened all four of its branches including the flagship store on Old Compton Street, in Soho and showed how their shop layout had changed to become COVID Secure.

    It also warned that only seven customers would be allowed into the store at anyone time.

    Fetch also in London tweeted that it had opened its doors and asked its customers to remember to sanitise their hands on the way into the store.

    Stores in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland remain under lockdown until their respective governments start to loosen restrictions.

    Are gay Saunas and Bars opened?

    The rest of the LGBT+ scene remains shuttered until at least the 4th of July in England. Gay bars, saunas and hotels will have to remain close until lockdown restrictions are eased.

  • So why are people bulk and panic buying? An expert in human behaviour explains

    So why are people bulk and panic buying? An expert in human behaviour explains

    We’ve all seen the pictures of empty shelves at supermarkets from people buying more than they need – but why are people bulk buying?

    The reason we are panic buying due to the imminent threat of COVID-19 is that the brain’s survival mode overrides any rational decision making, says Dr Ali Fenwick, an expert in human behaviour at Nyenrode Business University.

    According to Dr Fenwick there are four major reasons why we bulk buy:

    1) Survival mode


    When we are put in an uncertain or threatening situation, our more primitive part of the brain takes over. We fall back on survival mode, suppressing or distorting rational decision-making, which in the case of grocery shopping leads to bulk buying.

    We are buying to ‘survive’. Although the government promises there will be no disruption to the food supply, we don’t know this for sure as most of us have not been in a similar situation before. So, we rather buy more food than we normally would.

    2) The Scarcity Effect

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    When products become scarce, people perceive them as more valuable. We are more willing to go out and buy, and even pay more, for scare products. Scarcity drives buying behaviours, even for products we might not actually want. Which explains why we buy more food than we need to have or why so many people are currently on the run for toilet paper.

    3) Herd Behaviour


    Although you might not bulk buy yourself, the fact other people around you are, creates an immediate urge for you to do the same. In uncertain situations, we tend to follow what other people do or say, especially people similar like us. So, if your friend, family member, or colleague is bulk buying you feel you should do the same.

    4) Sense of control

    The global pandemic is a cause for a lot of uncertainty in the world and has resulted in many countries closing their borders and imposing self-isolation. These external constraints create an internal need to exert personal control as a way to feel safe. Being able to buy things provides us with a sense of control over our surroundings, which also leads to us buying more than we need to have.

    According to Dr Fenwick,
    “In summary, bulk buying is caused by various psychological and environmental cues which throw rational-thinking out of the window. When in survival mode, we let mainly our emotions drive decisions and are more susceptible to social influences. So, we will rush out and buy more because we believe others are doing the same”.

  • John Lewis has something to hang alongside your baubles

    John Lewis has something to hang alongside your baubles

    Bravo bravo

    John Lewis is on to winner here. We can feel it.

    The famous high-street department store is selling these Aubergine bauble tree decorations and we’re dying.

    The cheeky hanging (we’re not sure if it’s to the left or to right) decorations are currently being listed on the John Lewis website and are retailing at £8.

    The aubergine has long been associated with a certain part of the male anatomy and has become a staple part of sexting on social media and hook up apps like Grindr.

    However, it appears that the designers of the hanging decoration have either ignored this connection, completely ignorant of its day-to-day use – or are very very savvy people.

    Apparently, it’s all part of John Lewis’s “Garden Retreat” decoration pack, which the website suggests “surrounding yourself in nature can ease the mind”.

    Well quite.

    Alongside your Aubergine, you could hang their Corn, Asparagus or Avocado bauble…

  • Starbucks is going to start blocking porn in 2019

    Starbucks is going to start blocking porn in 2019

    To become even more “welcoming” Starbucks is going to start blocking porn from its WIFI

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    Your ability to watch a creampie and eat a creampie at Starbucks is going to be halted in 2019 after the mega coffee chain claims to have to sourced a “solution” that will “prevent this content (porn) from being viewed” at its US locations from next year.

    A spokesperson for the company said, “To ensure the Third Place [Starbucks’ coffee shops] remains safe and welcoming to all, we have identified a solution to prevent this content from being viewed within our stores and we will begin introducing it to our US locations in 2019”.

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    While we think this is probably a good idea, Jake Hook, THEGAYUK‘s editor warned that Starbuck must make sure it doesn’t block safe content from LGBT sites, saying, “Starbuck must ensure that it doesn’t inadvertently block LGBT content from valid news sources such as ours”, Jake Hook editor of THEGAYUK.com said today.

    However, speaking on CNN a Starbuck spokesperson said that it was working to ensure that the censoring tool doesn’t “block unintended content.”

  • If you have a House Of Fraser gift card you might be out of luck

    If you have a House Of Fraser gift card you might be out of luck

    The newly Sports Direct acquired House Of Fraser is not answering questions about customers’ gift cards.

    StockSnap / Pixabay

    Anger is mounting after the troubled House of Fraser refused to take gift cards for purchases. They have also failed to issue replacement cards for old gift cards and vouchers.

    When the store was sold to Sports Direct, customers were told to send in their gift cards in August, in order to be issued a replacement card. However, the firm has yet to issue any new cards, leading to anger and worry from customers.

    Sports Direct also announced last week that customers who ordered with House Of Fraser online before the chain was bought should not expect to receive the goods they paid for or get a refund.

    According to the BBC, the firm’s PR has not responded to call for comment.

    House of Fraser was bought by Sports Direct owner Mike Ashley, who said that he planned to keep the majority of the 59 stores open. He said that he wanted to return the store chain into the “Harrods of the high street”.

    Drain of goodwill

    Since the Sports Direct take over, House of Fraser has been beset with public relation issues. If the company decides to void all gift cards it could drain any goodwill left with consumers.

    Droves of former and current customers have taken to Twitter to air their frustration.

    How to claim your money back

    To make a claim against the store you will need to write to the administrator with proof of your vouchers or gift cards.

    Administrators EY said : “Customers can submit a claim against the HF Stores Realisations Limited (formerly House of Fraser (Stores) Limited). However, this will be treated as an unsecured creditor claim and unfortunately they will only receive a very modest recovery against the amount claimed.”

    If you bought your cards with your credit card you could try claiming with them. According to the BBC, “Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act can make credit card providers jointly liable for breaches of contract with a trader when people buy on a credit card”.

    Gift cards will need to be worth over £100.

     

  • Primark and Stonewall slammed for Pride merch – that doesn’t support prides

    Today Primark announced it was releasing a brand new range of pride merch – with just 20 percent of the sale price going to Stonewall, but not to prides.

    Primark has teamed up with Stonewall to sell pride merch, with famous pride cities, like Madrid, Brighton and London emblazoned across the products – but none of the profits are supporting prides.

    The UK Pride Organisers Network has called out the scheme as disappointing for not supporting local prides, some of which are struggling financially.

     

    Stonewall, while attending many prides across the UK – except Pride In London this year, does not organise any pride events in the UK.

    In a statement the UK Pride Organisers Network said,

    “After being alerted by some members, the Network was disappointed to see that proceeds from Primark’s range of ‘Pride’ clothing and accessories, launched in time for Pride season, is not being donated to the Pride organisations that organise these events. Instead, it is being given to Stonewall who, whilst they attend some Prides, do not organise the events themselves.

    “All Pride organisations are voluntary bodies that struggle every year to raise the funds necessary to hold these major public events, most of which are free to attend. In the last week, in one city where Primark will be selling these products, the Pride has announced it is scaling back its event due to a lack of funds. This is a daily reality for most Pride organisers.

    “Stonewall have been critical of Prides in the past, and this is an insult to those Prides who sell their own merchandise to raise funds for their events. We urge everyone who wants to support their local Pride to do so by purchasing merchandise from them, or from stallholders at the event. And we call on Stonewall to work with us to reallocate the income they receive from this partnership so that it can be used to directly support Pride organisers who are driving the Pride movement for the good of all LGBT+ people across the UK.

    “Finally, given Primark’s history, we seek reassurances from Primark that the production of these items is not taking place in any country where homosexuality is illegal.

    “A full map of all UK Pride events can be found on our website at http://www.ukpon.lgbt/pridedates/  If you wish to make contact and support your local Pride, we are sure that any support would be most welcome.”

  • Marks and Spencers releases amazing video for ALL couples

    This is just not any social media post.

    The social team at Marks and Sparks have done themselves proud, especially if you’re a fan of Percy Pigs.

    The ad, which was created for Valentine’s day introduces Penny the Pig, and asks viewers, “Are you a Percy and A Penny?, Or a Percy and a Percy, or a Penny and a Penny?”

    It ends with saying, whoever you spend Valentine’s Day with, make sure love is on the menu.

    It’s been viewed nearly a million times since Valentine’s Day.

    Watch the video below

    Awwww…

  • John Lewis Christmas Ad 2017: Watch all the previous ones here

    Christmas is on its way and that means a couple of things…

    WHAM! on your radio, Christmas weight gain and the John Lewis Christmas ad. This year we’ve got a farting-under-the-bed Monster… but take a look at the previous year’s offerings. Make sure you have your tissue box at the ready.

    2017 – Moz The Monster

    2016 – Buster The Boxer

    2015 – Man On The Moon

    2014 – Monty The Penguin


    2013 – The Bear and the Hare

    2012 – The Journey

    2011 – The Long Wait

  • COMMENT | The little cheaty secret the supermarkets don’t want you to know

    I have a lot of pet hates, as you will be aware if you ever get to know me or mistakenly read more than one of the items I write. I may even by now have made your list of pet hates.

    Just been to the local supermarket. It’s perched on a plot of land on the outskirts of the town. Well, of course, it is. Generally, they all are. It is how the High Streets met their untimely end and became what they are today in many places up and down the country. Streets of Barbers, hairdressers, coffee shop shops, branded and unbranded, fast food joints, empty shops and of course the ubiquitous charity shops. Rarely are a butcher’s, bakers, Green Grocers to be seen.

    The supermarket is pretty high on my list of pet hates for the damage it has caused our towns and the trade’s people whose lives it has decimated. Not to mention the heritage it has stolen from children whose futures were to work in the family shop.

    In the Supermarket, I have a deftness of purpose knowing where the single item I have come to purchase is to be found. But halfway down aisle 6 on the right towards the top shelf I realise it is not there! –“Bugger me sideways”- It’s been merchandised. “It’s been what?” I hear you ask.

    Turns out when we get familiar with where to find things and are no longer looking at everything shiny and knew like a kleptomaniac on day release from the asylum, but are blinkered and single-minded to buy what we want; they move it. They call it merchandising so we have to be aware of our surroundings and are tricked into buying more than we came for. So there you have it merchandising on is my list of pet hates, but today it was much worse.

    With a change of weather in the air and the chill of the night ahead, there was a reason for this fervent merchandising activity. It is in preparation of a festive time ahead, beginning with letter “C.” I shall not spell its name whilst it is still October, as it has no place for another 2 months other than to be in memory for its annual usage.

    But no matter, I was not swayed. I purchased my single item; oh and the mince pies do taste very good this year and such value. No, they got me! I bought bloody mince pies too.