The Warehouse Group is removing R18 games and DVDs from the shelves of The Warehouse and Noel Leeming online and physical stores.

The move follows a review of the product ranges, and reinforces the group’s family friendly brand values.

Mark Powell, The Warehouse Group CEO, said that the decision was not made lightly, and was driven by increasing customer, community and team member feedback.

“This feedback has formed part of what has been an ongoing internal review, to ensure that the products we range reflect our brand values of family, children, and community.”

The catalyst for totally exiting the R18 games and DVD market was the recently released Grand Theft Auto V, which contains graphic sex scenes and violence towards women from a first person perspective, Powell said.

“We considered simply de-ranging this product, however that would require us to judge the merits of every R18 product on an ongoing basis, which we are not in a position to do, nor do we see as our role,” he said.

Powell said that one of The Warehouse Group’s guiding principles is to help to make New Zealand a better place to live, and that the move is the right thing to do for the brand.