companies making profit from charity collection bags

[mrsfuzzy]

have just had yet another charity collection bag through the letter box, fair enough, i donate goods and buy lots of stuff through charity shops, BUT, am i being unreasonable because i won't use the bags that are left by collection companies, who then in return make a tonnage donation to that charity? this latest one promises to give £65 per a tonne of clothles collected to the nsppc, yesterday i recieved one promising £80 a tonne for cancer research, if i want to donate i want the money/goods going to the charity not some company who profits from it i realise they have to pay wages and fuel etc, but my local charity shops often have a volunteer to collect it if i phone in, and as it is gift aided the charity can claim back 25p in the £ tax, sorry nspcc and cancer research, can't help you today, save the children and my local hospice charity shops will get it instead.

I think those schemes sound like a rip off. I'd far rather give a coat to a Social Work Department Children & Family Centre so it can be passed on to someone in need.

Sorry rip off not the right word, I know that. I just think it sounds better than it is. I would guess a company is making a profit out of the scheme and passing on a tiny donation to charity

YANBU - much better to donate direct.

They make great bin bags though :)

Most people can't be arsed to take their stuff to charity shops - but they will fill a bag provided by someone and collected by someone.

Companies do profit from it but they still act with the blessing of the charities - just as the chuggers do - the logic being any donation is better than nowt.

Yes, I agree they make great bin bags!

I don't ever donate using them. I tend to regard them as a bit 'scammy'.

I take my stuff directly to a charity shop that supports a local charity.

My favourites are the ones that ask you to donate clothes for people in Africa but when you actually look at the small print they are a company which ships the clothes to Africa and then sells them.

If I filled everyone of those bags that get shoved through our door, I'd have no clothes for myself.

Much rather give them to a local charity shop.

If you are wanting to donate to charity then yes they're silly but for people like my SIL who will just bin things, as in take nearly new kids clothes and put them out with kitchen rubbish those bags are quite good. I think, particularly from what I see when I go to the dump and when I talk to friends, my SIL is not in the minority so those bags are an improvement to just binning it plus people who really care still take their items to a charity shop or wherever.

The current rate for rags/old clothes, is £5 for 10 kilos, so that's £500 per tonne for a member of the public, it will be more for a large collector. So they're giving a rubbish amount to charities.

Far better to take them to a charity shop yourself.

Incidentally, following a thread on Mumsnet, I took a pram, baby clothes and toiletries to the local Women's refuge and they were very grateful for the, so that's another alternative.

Women's Aid refuge, or Social Work Department would be very grateful. Our SWD also takes car seats and electrical goods

If I have stuff I always wait till a proper bag comes, if I need rid quicker them our supermarket has charity bins along with the recycling ones.

I use them for stuff that is not good enough for the charity shop I.e broken shoes, old electrical goods, damaged toys. The company has an obligation to remove the bag from the kerbside, and when they discover it is totally unsuitable they have the responsibility to dispose of it responsibly. And it does say they give XX per tonne to the charity...

oh i'm wondering if they do dump it proprerly though, still as some posters said if they can't be bothered to take to the shop then maybe the bags do serve a purpose.