Lads' mags cover ultimatum

Former editor of Front magazine Piers Hernu said he was "shocked and appalled" by the Co-op's threat to stop selling lads' magazines, while Sophie Bennett from the Lose the Lads' Mags campaign group labelled the publications "pornography".

They debated the issue in the ITV News studio:

The Co-operative supermarket's threat to pull lads' magazines from the shelves if they don't "cover up" has sparked a fierce debate on the ITV News Facebook page.

Many disagree with the Co-op's stance, such as Jan McCluskey, who says:

Anita Johnson thinks TV is a worse offender than magazines:

However, mum Kelly Gillam believes the publications should not be seen by children:

Lose the Lads' Mags campaign group has called for the Co-operative to stop stocking the magazines altogether, after it issued a deadline for publishers to 'cover' them up.

Sophie Bennett, a spokeswoman for the campaign said:

Exposing children to lewd images is not appropriate, the Equalities Minister said today, after the Co-operative revealed that it had issued lads' mags publishers a deadline to cover up or face having them removed from their stores.

Jo Swinson said: "Many parents aren't comfortable with the way that sexualised imagery has become like wallpaper - everywhere from the bus stop to the corner shop.

"Exposing children to lewd pictures that portray women as sex objects is not appropriate. That's why The Co-operative's decision to implement the Bailey review recommendation for publications with overtly sexual images on the cover to be displayed and sold in modesty bags is very welcome.

"Adults should be left to make their own decisions about what legal sexual images they look at, but the place for these is not next to the sweets at children's eye-level. I hope other retailers will follow the Co-operative's lead."

Publishers of lads' magazines have until September 9 to start providing 'modesty' bags, or the Co-operative will not supply it in their stores.

Steve Murrells, retail chief executive for the Co-operative Group, said:

The Co-operative has given publishers of lads' magazines an ultimatum to cover them up in "modesty bags" or face having them removed from shelves across 4,000 stores.

Titles such as Front, Loaded, Nuts and Zoo - known for their pictures of scantily-clad models - have been given until September 9 to deliver the magazines in pre-sealed bags.

The retail group, which describes itself as one of the UK's largest magazine sellers, had already introduced opaque screens on shelves earlier this month to shield children from "lewd pictures" on front covers.