Popularity of S&M sex toys on the rise

The 50 Shades of Grey book series has caused a rise in erotic merchandise in Iceland according to erotic shop owner Þor­vald­ur Steinþórs­son. He expects sales to rocket when the film hits cinemas in Iceland this weekend.

Steinþórsson, who owns erotic shop Adam & Eva thinks the general public have accepted S&M as something for "ordinary" couples to try out instead of a sexual preference of extreme groups. He says that ties, handcuffs, eye masks and whips have been extremely popular since the book series was published.

General interest in erotic merchandise in Iceland has increased in general and according to the commercial research institute of Iceland, import of such products, classed as "other types of massage products" has greatly increased over the past couple of years. In the last three months of 2014 import of erotic products increased by 220 percent.