Has anyone elses Tesco's started asking you to round up your bill?

[TinySleepThief]

I genuinely thought it was just a new addition to the self service tills when I used them last week but today the server at a manned till asked me if i wanted to round up my bill with the rounded up money apparently going to charity. When I asked him which charity he couldn't actually tell me?

Is this now a thing in all Tesco's and if so if I were to round up my bill does anyone know where would this money go to?

Haven't experienced this yet but I lived in Mexico for years and their main convenience store brand did this 'rounding' for charity as standard at the tills. I always said yes, it was pennies or even less to me, until I realised how non-transparent the whole thing is. I had no idea where the money was going, IF it was going and I just don't think that's the way to accrue donations. Will have to look into this but I don't think it's a step forward, by any means.

I already give to charities of my choice and would have no problem saying so.

Different country. We have a severe coin shortage at the moment. If you want to pay with physical money, many times the store can’t make change. So they have signs up saying if you can’t make electronic payment your options are exact physical money or the “change” goes to the listed charity.

I do save the change , so this isn’t an option now, I do and will choose my charities

I don’t donate at Tesco as I think the big three charities could do more for their cause by downsizing corporate overheads.

I’ll happily round up if I’m grabbing a coffee in McDonald’s as the Ronald McDonald houses are an absolute blessing to families of ill children.

Everything else I assess as I go. I’m lucky these days to be one of those neurodiverse people that can say no, and I do on a regular basis. To be fair, a screen asking me if I’d like to surrender some fiddler’s change is a lot easier for me than remembering to donate to the food bank on a regular basis. I’d like the idea of a foodbank ‘item’ that was mentioned up thread to be standard across all online delivery platforms.

It doesn't matter whether customers can afford to donate or not, these companies (McDonald's, Tesco) make enormous amounts of profit and should be doing that charitable work themselves!

Charities are in real trouble at the moment. There wasn't a relief package for them like businesses have that covers the anticipated loss of donations from things like sponsored events.

That means less research into cancer, diabetes, strokes. Less support for people with dementia, experiencing domestic violence, living in poverty. Many charities won't survive.

It may be annoying to be asked to donate, but it's against that background.

All the petrol stations near us do this for the local road accident volunteer service. It's an option on the card reader that asks if you want to donate 25p to the charity. The person behind the till has no idea if I've pressed yes or no.

I think it's very awkward if staff ask, both for the customer and for them. There are certain charities I wouldn't be happy donating to, so would refuse if asked. However, i can't get worked up about being asked by a machine.

I was surprised to be asked this by the self-service checkout in Tesco this week. I hadn't seen it before. I said no as I couldn't see anything about which charity (I noticed a sign near the till afterwards and I was very stressed and tired). I did say yes in McDonalds, because I am aware and grateful for Ronald McDonald houses at children's hospitals. Even if I don't want to donate, it doesn't offend me to be asked.

Well I'm relieved to see others feel similar to me. I didn't mind as much when it was the screen at the self service, however thinking back im not sure that told me which charity it was either. I did however feel pretty put on the spot being asked in front of a queue of people and whilst I did say no as he couldn't tell me where the money would be going as others have said this would probably be very difficult for someone less confident or vulnerable.

I appreciate charities are also struggling in this climate but equally lots of people are also having a hard time right now. It would indeed make much more sense for big businesses to donate instead of expecting their customers to do so.

Just say no.
I give to charity when I choose, not when I’m asked to.

I choose my own charities. I've seen this done a lot recently including in Gap.

Happy to donate to Homeless charities except Shelter, sadly their behaviour is very questionable. Happy to donate to British Heart Foundation but not to Cancer Research they have some very dubious structures in place and are responsible for a huge amount of animal testing. Am very pissed off that I donated without realising in Tesco yesterday if there is any chance it could go to fucking Mermaids!!! I do not support child abuse in any form. I'd rather choose how, when and who I donate to. And it's clearly not that optional I'd didn't notice yesterday other than to think it was odd my shopping was a round number.

Yes, had it last year at some point. So I say no. Like some other people have said, I choose charities myself and donate to them.

Not seen in Tesco yet but have had it in petrol stations. I don't mind it if they are clear in the charity and make it clear it's optional (not sure I'd be a fan at a manned till as it might put pressure on people).

I do always round up at McDonalds. As pp say it's obvious what the charity is and having had to use their services I'm extremely grateful and want the service to thrive. It's hard enough to have a sick child in hospital without worrying about having somewhere to stay.

I wouldn't donate to cancer research I saw a programme on them once. Infact I don't donate to any big charities I prefer smaller ones like a local animal sanctuary.

The charity is irrelevant, even if it's the most worthy cause, it's inappropriate. They're a shop...they have no idea about the person they're asking...they could be skint and embarrassed at saying no. They may have sn and be confused that something unexpected has arisen. Do they ask children this? My ds is in secondary and often pops to the shop...this would confuse him unless someone explained, he's nt but has only just started going out and about by himself so wouldn't expect this question. How about I get to the till to pay and ask them to round it down because I am skint?

Ask Tesco to round it down and you will donate the rest to charity.

You don't get people to do what you want by insulting them

Says the person who used the words "woke and liberal" in their comments.

@formerbabe

If you don’t want to donate, you do not have to

True but saying no and asserting yourself is generally easier for NT, confident people.

TBF - that's how it works.

People are more likely to want to agree and say 'yes'.

Much more unusual for people to 'engage brain' and to think about an answer. Their 'lazy fast brain' just goes along with it rather than slowing down, analysing the question and giving a response.

It's a rather clever marketing technique. Just like 'Take back control' and all that. A simple message.

@W00t

It doesn't matter whether customers can afford to donate or not, these companies (McDonald's, Tesco) make enormous amounts of profit and should be doing that charitable work themselves!

I don’t know about Tesco but McDonalds certainly do a lot for charity - the charity they’re asking you to round up to is the Ronald McDonald House Charity; they provide accommodation for families of sick children in hospital.

It’s their own charity set up by them, and along with providing an easy way for customers to donate they do a hell of a lot in terms of fundraising themselves for it.

So make sure you double check your facts before you go around spouting that “these companies” don’t do any charitable work. RMHC facilities are invaluable.

I've seen it a few places and think it's a great idea. With the cancellation of major events this year (marathons etc) many charities have missed their key fundraising events and are really struggling. I wish they included smaller local charities, but other than that it's a brilliant idea. You can easily click "no" if you either don't support the particular charity or give in other ways / can't afford to do it.

It's in the Daily Mail

Some people are complaining that they haven't been asked - which is fair enough.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8695071/Fury-new-Tesco-charity-promotion.html

This could be presented as a positive story - Tesco encourage customers to donate to charity by rounding up - and they do match that donation.

But being the DM, it has to be presented as a negative one

The money for the scheme is being divided equally between Cancer Research UK, British Heart Foundation and Diabetes UK. The three health charities have seen their income dramatically reduced during the Covid-19 epidemic as major fundraising events such as the London Marathon were cancelled

Tesco will match the donations/

TBF - that's how it works

People are more likely to want to agree and say 'yes'

Much more unusual for people to 'engage brain' and to think about an answer. Their 'lazy fast brain' just goes along with it rather than slowing down, analysing the question and giving a response

Yes that's my point and precisely why I don't agree with it. A shop has a singular purpose to sell me items. I pay the amount they're asking...i do not wish to negotiate that amount.

I do think it's funny on a place like MN where people genuinely cannot fathom how to reduce their shopping bill from £800 per month and are happy to fritter their cash away in Waitrose, whilst turning their nose up at cheaper supermarkets, people are so indignant about being asked to donate 50p by the checkout lad in Tesco.