Many Christian retailers have increased their inventory of general market products in an effort to broaden their appeal to customers.

Half those responding to Christian Retailing's latest Industry Insights survey said that they had increased their number of general market SKUs in the last five years.

Cookbooks, nonreligious gift items like general greeting cards and art, family-friendly films that are not specifically religious and "books with spiritual themes" were among the most mentioned types of general market items carried by Christian specialty retailers.

More than half those who said they had added more nonreligious items to their shelves said that their decision was based on a "desire to offer a broader range of thought" (52%), and two-in-five indicated that they were responding to increased customer demand.

But the survey found that others maintain a stricter grid through which to select their inventory-underscoring the ongoing debate regarding the stocking of general market products.

Full details of the latest Industry Issues survey will be published in the Nov. 12 issue of Christian Retailing magazine.