Vending machines, selling what people are calling inappropriate teddy bears, at local Walmart stores have created quite a stir on social media.
Monica Heck posted a picture on WBIR's Facebook page of a vending machine full of teddy bears with eye masks and tags that read, "Fuzzy Shades of Gray" at the Walmart on Chapman Highway.
Brandy Jordan posted a picture of a vending machine with the same bears inside the Walmart at Turkey Creek.
Several people on social media said the bears are disturbing because of their not-so subtle references to the controversial film Fifty Shades of Grey.
But the Maryland-based distributor of the machines, A&A Global Industries, said that's not true. A spokesperson for the company said merchandise related to a movie must have a license, and A&A Global Global Industries doesn't have a license for these bears.
"It has nothing to do with the movie. It's just a teddy bear." says A&A Global Industries Spokesperson, Steven (who wouldn't provide a last name to WBIR).
Monica Heck disagrees.
"I feel like the bears are in an inappropriate location. [They] are in a machine with flashing lights ... and are targeted toward children, " she told WBIR. "These 'toys' appear to be clearly based on a very adult movie and book series and should not be in a children's machine."
Walmart spokesperson, Erin George, said the retailer doesn't own or operate those vending machines.
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