Kroger Co.
announced Monday that a regional gay newspaper will once
again be carried in the free publication rack inside
some of its Nashville-area grocery stores, according
to the Associated Press.
Kroger, the
nation's largest food chain, removed the Out &
About monthly newspaper from 34 stores in the
Nashville area nearly a month ago, claiming that the paper
violated company policy against distributing publications
that promote "political, religious, or other specific
agendas."
The
paper's expulsion caused outrage among the
city's gays and lesbians.Supporters of the
paper said Kroger carries other gay-themed newspapers
at its stores in other markets, such as Atlanta. They
also pointed out that other newspapers with political
columns and advertisements for Nashville-area strip clubs
were available in the stores.
The uproar
culminated last month into a weeklong boycott against Kroger
and Harris Teeter, another grocery store chain that banned
the newspaper.Organizers say the
local boycott cost the two companies more than
$15,000.
In a news release
Monday, Kroger blamed Out & About's
removal on DistribuTech, the company that manages its free
publication racks.Kroger said that
DistribuTech did not follow Kroger's process
for distributing free publications with Out & About.
"As we
have done elsewhere, Kroger suspended distribution until the
agreed-upon steps were followed. In this case, it resulted
in the return of the paper to some stores in the
Nashville area," the release explained.
Jerry Jones,
publisher of Out &Â About, told AP that Kroger officials met with
Nashville gay and lesbian activists.
"They
reviewed the paper and met with community leaders and
realized that we publish a true newspaper for our
community. It wasn't a political or religious
agenda," Jones said.
Jones said he was
happy with the company's decision to allow the
newspaper back into eight stores where the paper has a high
readership.
Lynn Marmer,
Kroger's group vice president of corporate affairs,
highlighted in the release Kroger's acceptance and
knowledge of Nashville's diverse population.
"Having
free special interest publications, for example for seniors,
families with young children, or the GLBT community, is a
way of serving local interests," Marmer said.
(The Advocate)
