ANNAPOLIS – Valentine’s Day signaled the end of Giant Food’s promotion of Durex-brand condoms as part of its A+ Bonus Bucks school donation program.
Store managers took down the “extra credit” signs in front of the Durex condoms after parents came to several stores to lobby them to pull the promotion, which was to run through Feb. 22.
Giant’s spokesman said the store regretted offering the condoms as one of the 700 items associated with its A+ Bonus Bucks program that gives $400,000 to participating schools each month.
“In hindsight, it was probably an oversight on our part,” spokesman Jamie Miller said Friday night. “We try to offer our promotions to everyone.”
Durex had pledged to donate 23 cents of every sale of a 12-pack of its extra-sensitive condoms to the program.
“We definitely support all the retailers who support educational programs and are happy to help the schools,” said Durex brand-manager Tonya Cramer on Wednesday, when the promotion was featured in a Capital News Service article.
Durex’s marketing company chose to feature the product during Valentine’s Day because it is one of the best times of the year for condom sales and would make more money for the schools, Cramer said.
Durex had not heard that the promotion was canceled late Friday and could not comment.
“The signs are being pulled right now,” Miller said. – 30 – CNS-2-14-03