EUGENE, Ore. -- An anti-drug coalition has called for Old Navy stores to discontinue the sale of t-shirts with logos that read “Beer Pressure – Worth Giving In To!” and “Sloshball Champions – Staggerin Falls, Hi.”

In a letter to Glenn Murphy, the CEO of Old Navy's parent company, Gap Inc, Oregon Partnership said the sale of such items to a young customer base is repugnant and goes against the company’s pledge of social responsibility.

“Oregon Partnership and other anti-drug coalitions around the country will not let go of this,” said Pete Schulberg, OP Communications Director, in a prepared release. “Other retail chains have stopped the sale of these t-shirts because they know that promoting binge drinking to young people is something they don't want to be a part of.”

Old Navy dropped the price on the shirts to $5 prior to the start of the new school year. Oregon Partnership claims the price drop targets students under 21.

Chris Wingenfield with Gap Inc. wrote that "our $5 tee promotion was meant to be a great way to drive sales in our stores while offering our customers some excellent values on numerous items."

KVAL News has contacted Old Navy and requested a response to Oregon Partnership's complaint. A spokeswoman asked for another day to respond.

Oregon Partnership provided KVAL News witha PDF of copies of a letter sent to Gap Inc. in December 2008 and a response received in September 2009 and the text of the most recent  letter to Gap Inc.

This story will be updated as that information becomes available.

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Letter from Oregon Partnership to Gap Inc

September 14, 2009

Mr. Glenn K. Murphy
Chairman and CEO
Gap. Inc.
Two Folsom Street
San Francisco, California 94105

Dear Sir:

A number of your customers have recently complained to us about the sale of t-shirts promoting beer drinking.  One shirt said “Beer Pressure: Worth Giving Into.”

And imagine our surprise to discover the price was lowered to $5.00 on the weekend before school started.  If this isn’t marketing to the back-to-school crowd, I don’t know what is.

As I wrote to you last December, the sale of such items to a young customer base are repugnant and not worthy of your company’s record in the area of social responsibility.

Oregon Partnership and other anti-drug coalitions are making real inroads in informing parents, educators and the business community about how alcohol use among adolescents is even more dangerous to their developing brains than previously believed.

But we need your help.  The sale and promotion of t-shirts that promote drinking to young people is socially irresponsible.  And Oregon Partnership and other anti-drug coalitions around the country will not let go of this issue!

After considerable media coverage and complaints from groups like ours, Macy’s and Bloomingdales decided to take beer t-shirts off their shelves a couple of years ago. Other stores have followed suit.

Please eliminate the sale of these t-shirts, and help promote a healthy lifestyle for our youth.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Pete Schulberg
Communications Director
Oregon Partnership

cc. Mr Tom Wyatt
      President, Old Navy

Read Gap Inc's response
 

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