To dislike the supermarket charity token thing?

[sniffle12]

I was asked today at the supermarket to place a token in a box as I left - to vote for my preferred charity project (presumably to receive some of the proceeds from the 5p bag tax?)

Is it just me who feels uncomfortable being asked to pick a charity (i.e. not to pick the others and therefore deny them funds they probably need just as much?) They were all for wildlife projects so it's not like it even comes down to what causes lie close to your heart. Would it be so unreasonable to just split the money evenly between them?

I ended up putting my token in the one that seemed to be the least popular just to even it out.

They vary - today's was a elderly male gardening club - a school wildlife garden and a teen music thing!

It's just giving people and choice - no doubt the 'popular' well connected will win

I chose the one I think will benefit the most people

Well, if that's your only problem, you're doing not bad.

I find them uncomfortable ... yes

At our local it was between a boys football club to go abroad (who could raise funds on their own I assume), a SIDS charity and some pensioners bridge thing....umm no brainer.

My understanding is that all 3 charities get a share of the pot but the ones with the most tokens get a bigger one IYKWIM.

I just don't like being asked to do anything at the supermarket. Time was you could just go in and purchase your goods. Now it's all store cards / points / charity tokens / donations. Just take my money, please!

If it's Tesco, they all get money in accordance with how many tokens they get. Ie The one with the largest number of tokens gets the largest sum, next largest gets the middle amount and least gets the smaller amount. So at least all the charities are getting money.

I seriously doubt that supermarkets are their only source of funding. And you don't have to vote. I think it's a non problem tbh

Doesn't bother me.

I tend to the one that I feel least deserving. Ie. A football trip abroad is a luxury, whilst the SIDS charity is deserving.

X-post sparkling.

We've looked into it for our school friends charity hence knowing that's the case.

Just stick it anyone of them if you don't particularly care. Can't see how it's an issue tbh. If it's that traumatic for you to choose just say you don't want a token!

I go in Waitrose at least three times a week. They are all worthy local causes at the branch in our little town so I put a token in each to keep it fair.

You explained it better mini.

This is what Waitrose Community Matters says

At the end of your shop in branch, you’ll receive a token to place in a box of the good cause you’d most like to support. The more tokens a cause gets, the bigger the donation they receive. Each month every Waitrose branch donates £1,000 (£500 in Convenience shops) between 3 local good causes that you choose.

I always put mine in the box with the least tokens

Except once when one of the boxes was to raise money for the garden at my local primary school.

My local waitrose does this. One of them was a labrador rehoming charity, going up against a gardening fund for a preschool and a village hall maintenance fund. I put my token in the village hall one on the basis that DD went to judo club there.

You don't have to do it if you don't like it! I can't see the problem tbh.

I know what you mean. I don't really like it either. I don't think you can necessarily judge the value of charitable causes with such limited knowledge and I also think it's not necessarily healthy for some vulnerable participants to see themselves as "in competition" in that way.

I łove it
If im stuck on deciding
Imgive it to a child

I can't see the problem tbh.

I suppose there are a lot of very worthwhile charities that people might not be as inclined to support. So something that frightens or alienates people, like some mental health charities, could attract less funding than a playground, despite possibly having a greater need. I'd prefer if it wasn't organised to pander to the prejudices of the public.

I always put my token into the one with the least.

God. Talk about first world problems

Yes its definitely split according to the percentage of the "vote". We raised funds for our local junior football club to pay for floodlit training for our teams in winter as we do not have floodlights at our pitch.

So if one charity gets 40% and one gets 33% and the other one gets 27% the split will be £400/£330 and £270.

I do the same - of there is not something I specifically support I put it in the one with the fewest.

I'm not wildly keen but all the charities get some of the money. I always put mine in the one that has least. I know a lot of the local charities really appreciate the little bit extra it brings. It does make me uncomfortable though, especially when some of the groupings seem a touch unfair.

I love them. It's how I get ds off the toy car thing, "come on love, come put your coins in the box"

He is very fair though - one token in each box, thus completely defying the point of it.

Depends how they split it. Our PTA was one of hte Waitrose chosen charities a few months ago along with another two local school PTAs, there wasn't much between us when it came to the end count so one got £350, and the other two got £325 each. I think at Asda it was £150, £100 and £50. So everyone gets something.