CVS condom lock-up policy sparks controversy

Joanna Bouldin is a consumer advocate and activist. She is a determined woman who advocates on behalf of local consumers, and her latest campaign is against what she and others contend is CVS' discriminatory practice of locking-up condoms.

"Philadelphia is facing a massive HIV infection crisis, at five times the national average,? Bouldin, a representative of the Washington-based labor organization Change to Win, said. "This disease is particularly ravaging to people of color. For any company to put barriers up preventing people making wise choice...well, we feel it is a dangerous and unwise practice."

Change to Win contends CVS practices a selective policy of condom control by keeping open-access shelves stocked in higher-income areas while under lock-and-key in poorer neighborhoods. Civil rights leaders, health advocates and local residents gathered outside the CVS on Broad and Girard Streets last Thursday to demand the pharmacy chain abandon the policy.

Some public health officials stress this practice can impact their efforts to curb the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.

"People sometimes place a level of shame on themselves and sex," Mazzoni Center director of programs Ron Powers said. "Heterosexuals and homosexuals are dealing with a lot of conflicting social attitudes and statements toward their sexualities. Placing a physical barrier between the consumer and the product does further create an obstacle to safe-sex."

High school student Javier Alvarez is among those who said he sometimes feels too embarrassed to buy condoms at drug stores that keep them locked-up or behind the counter.

"I don't like to ask someone to give them to me," he said. "It makes me feel guilty and dirty. Sometimes the salespeople... are your parents or grandparents age. I feel weird. I guess sometimes it's easier to just risk it."

Gary J. Bell, executive director of Blacks Educating Blacks About Sexual Health Issues [BEBASHI], was equally as critical.

"The practice of locking up condoms in low-income neighborhoods, especially communities of color is both short-sighted and dangerous," he said. "We recognize the right of the retailer to determine how to showcase their merchandise, but they also have a responsibility to be 'good neighbors' within the communities."

An informal survey of CVS stores in Philadelphia found eight of the 40 company-owned drug stores in the city kept their condoms locked-up. Many of these stores are located in lower-income neighborhoods.

The store the protestors targeted did display condoms in a locked case, but prophylactics were readily available on an adjacent wall. EDGE further found some convenience stores and other businesses in the areas also locked-up their condoms.

CVS spokesperson Mike DeAngelis told EDGE the chain locks-up condoms in some of its stores to prevent shoplifting. He further asserted he feels Change to Win, which has previously criticized the Rhode Island-based company for its labor practices, is motivated by something more than the protecting public health.

"CVS stores sell condoms that are unlocked and accessible," he said. "In stores where condoms have been heavily shoplifted, products are kept in a locked display to ensure there is stock available for customers to purchase. Decisions to do this are based on the theft experience of the store, not the location of that store. However, even in stores that do have a locked condom display, we also maintain a selection of condoms that are not locked and are available for customers to purchase without asking for assistance from store employees."

Other drug store chains have different regulations.

Walgreens has not locked-up condoms in its stores since 2005.

"We believe it's in the public's best interest to allow these products to be conveniently accessible," spokesperson Tiffani Washington said.

Powers agreed.

"I think there are far more valuable and "theft-friendly" items the condoms not locked up," he said."I cannot imagine that the amount of money lost on a few stolen boxes of condoms warrants this type of response."

Bouldin added public health concerns remain her organization's only motivation.

"Our position is that all condoms should be unlocked... that's the message that we're going to be sending [today]," she said. "We have had problems with CVS products in the past, these issues are all systemic of a greater problem."