LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - Asda, Wal-Mart's British subsidiary, has introduced a line of wedding cards and "commitment rings" this week - just in time for the country's legalization of gay civil partnerships."Wedding day wishes, Mrs. & Mrs.," reads a pink-toned greeting card. A blue card decorated with two top hats says, "Congratulations, Mr. & Mr." The company will also sell a line of matching gold rings with diamond insets starting at £60 each ($104).
Monday was the first day that same-sex couples were able to apply for a civil partnership. The first gay and lesbian marriages in England will take place on Dec. 21, and a long line of well-known Britons have already said they plan to pledge their troth, including the singers Sir Elton John and George Michael.
"Ever since gay weddings were given the official go-ahead, we've had a number of customers asking if we could introduce gay cards," Ed Watson, an Asda spokesman, said. "With the launch of our new range, we can ensure that our customers can celebrate every marriage - whether it is between him and her, him and him, or her and her," he said.
Critics of Wal-Mart, however, accused the company of hypocrisy, contrasting its marketing of gay wedding cards in Britain with its stricter controls in the United States. Wal-Mart has pulled some mainstream magazines from its shelves and refuses to carry some popular books because of their content, among them "America (The Book)" by Jon Stewart and "When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops?" by George Carlin.
"They want to be all things to all people anywhere but in the United States," said Tracy Sefl, research director for Wal-Mart Watch, an advocacy group based in Washington. "In the United States, they have a conservative, right-leaning business model."
No one from Wal-Mart was available to comment on the issue, Jami Arms, a Wal-Mart spokeswoman, said, speaking from Wal-Mart headquarters in Bentonville, Ark.
Asda, Britain's third-largest retailer, was purchased by Wal-Mart in 1999. Since then, however, it has carefully maintained its independence from its parent, London analysts say.
Asda "is a lot more comfortable selling music or books or magazines that Wal-Mart might consider risqué," said Bryan Roberts, an analyst with the London consulting group Planet Retail. "It would be foolish for Asda to exclude any of its customer groups for the sake of a political and moral stance on any issue."
Richard Perks, an analyst with the Mintel International Group, a London research firm, said, "I would like to think that Wal-Mart would recognize that what may be suitable in some countries would not be suitable in others, and that any subsidiary would be allowed to market" as it saw fit.
Some Asda campaigns might seem shocking to Wal-Mart shoppers in the United States. Last year, for example, Asda announced it was "rolling back" the price of condoms in time for the Christmas party season.
"We are trying to illustrate that protection against sexually transmitted infection is easy, even more affordable and accessible," Tony Page, Asda's non-food director, said in a statement at the time. The company's stores will be open late, Mr. Page's statement said, in case customers "unexpectedly get lucky."
It also listed stores by condom sales per square foot. Asda's store in Chesser, a section of Edinburgh, took the top spot.
This October, Asda cut prices on liquor and beer as part of a pre-Christmas promotion. "Our latest round of price cuts will ensure our shoppers don't pay any more than they have to when it comes to stocking up on booze this Christmas," said Mike Regnier, general manager for Asda beer, wines and spirits, in a news release.
The company also added that it has retrained employees to ensure that customers who look younger than 21 are asked for identification. (The legal drinking age in Britain is 18.)
The cultures of Asda and Wal-Mart are "very different," Mr. Watson, the Asda spokesman, said. Then again, he added, the cultures of America and Britain are very different.
from New York Times
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