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RETAILERS CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT TEENS RENT

The teenage video market is big business. But when it comes to issues like teens renting on their parents' cards and R-rated product, some special concerns are raised for supermarkets.And the level of concern varies greatly from chain to chain resulting in a variety of approaches.At Bashas' in Chandler, Ariz., "this really hasn't been an issue," said Bill Glaseman, video specialist.But at B&R Stores,

The teenage video market is big business. But when it comes to issues like teens renting on their parents' cards and R-rated product, some special concerns are raised for supermarkets.

And the level of concern varies greatly from chain to chain resulting in a variety of approaches.

At Bashas' in Chandler, Ariz., "this really hasn't been an issue," said Bill Glaseman, video specialist.

But at B&R Stores, Lincoln, Neb., Bob Gettner, video buyer/coordinator, said, "teens renting on their parent's card is always an issue. You have to take this on a case-by-case basis such as the age of the teenager. It is just part of the business of video rentals," he said.

"We don't have a lot of problems," said Karen Welch, video buyer, Clyde Evans Markets, Lima, Ohio. "We are careful about rentals to younger kids. We don't rent R-rated movies to kids unless their parents sign for them."

Some retailers have an even more unequivocal method.

"We don't allow children to use their parents' cards for video rentals," said Darlene Kiefer, services coordinator for Seaway Food Town, Maumee, Ohio. "Each customer in our video rental departments has to have their own identification card. It must match their data base screen. The computer turns down anyone under 17 years from renting an R-rated movie," she said.