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Original poster

Supermarkets cashing in on people's kindness

48 replies

ThesecondLEM · 06/12/2021 18:27

I like the idea that it's being made easy to help those less fortunate and often donate to the food bank. Tonight in tesco there was a box for toys to donate to poorer folk in the community.

Lovely idea and I nearly popped back to grab something but stopped myself when I thought hmm, tesco is cashing in on this. Unless I have missed something and they are matching donations.

Am I being too cynical? Does anyone know of any alternative initiatives that one might donate to?

I was a recipient of a mumsnet Xmas appeal present when dd was younger and I'm now in a position to pay that forward I some way. I know shops profit from Xmas anyway and that's fair play but well...

OP posts:
Tittyfilarious81 · 06/12/2021 18:28

@ThesecondLEM if you have a dunelm near by they do a Christmas toy appeal

shreddies · 06/12/2021 18:28

I agree, I think it's cynical of them.

TheWholeWorld · 06/12/2021 18:29

I don't know where you live but the Brumwish campaign is collecting donations at Edgbaston this week I think. They have an Amazon wishlist as well if you're not local.

But I'm sure there must be something local where you are. How about contacting a local branch of refuge or women's aid?

Justmuddlingalong · 06/12/2021 18:30

You can put donations that have been bought elsewhere in. It doesn't have to have been bought in Tesco.

Sparklfairy · 06/12/2021 18:30

To be fair, you have to buy the toys somewhere. Even if you bought them and took them to a womens shelter or whatever, some store somewhere would be cashing in.

rifling · 06/12/2021 18:32

I agree! If you think about it, it doesn't make sense to pay retail prices, same for food banks when they collect tins etc. It would be better to buy and donate wholesale but I suppose that's harder to arrange.

MrsColon · 06/12/2021 18:32

@Sparklfairy

To be fair, you have to buy the toys somewhere. Even if you bought them and took them to a womens shelter or whatever, some store somewhere would be cashing in.
This. And I'd much rather support Tesco than Jeff bloody Bezos and his stupid fucking rockets.
bluechameleon · 06/12/2021 18:33

You don't have to buy the toys at Tesco. I always take something from our stash for birthday parties. This time I'm going to take a Lego set DS1 got two of for his birthday.

CheesyChipsOnWembleyWay · 06/12/2021 18:35

Our local tesco matches all donations to the food bank collection they have there

User00000000 · 06/12/2021 18:39

You have to buy them from somewhere if you're planning to donate, and I figure Tesco is better than Amazon.

TractorAndHeadphones · 06/12/2021 18:39

Ocado or Waitrose (forgot which) match donations if you donate online

PeachesPumpkin · 06/12/2021 18:42

Tesco do a lot for charity. These people n store donations are an easy way for customers to donate. It’s much easier for me to donate something from my shop rather than have to drive to the food bank (or insert favoured charity here…) and try and get a parking space at a time when they are open fur donations.

FangsForTheMemory · 06/12/2021 18:42

It's Ocado that matches donations. You buy a £10 voucher for food banks and they match it, for example.

Catlove53 · 06/12/2021 18:44

Christ supermarkets are damned if they do damned if they don't. As others have said people have to buy the items somewhere!!

PinkAndPurpleClouds · 06/12/2021 18:44

Hmmm I am on the fence a bit. As a pp said, you will have to buy the toys somewhere...

What is annoying me lately, is (for example) I go to McDonalds, and when I checkout (on the machine I am ordering my food on,) it asks 'do you want to give to charity? 5p, 10p, 50p, £1??? Or 'not today.' Give to charity? What charity? Confused You can't just say 'for charity....'

AND I went into a few charity shops the other days, and in three of them I was asked 'do you want to round the £7.75 to £8 'for charity?' WTF Confused I am already spending £7.75 on goods in YOUR charity shop that you got for FREE. Fuck off. Hmm

I know you can say 'no' but if you do, you look like a mean tightwad! Annoys me, because they know some people will be too embarrassed to say no.

And don't even get me started on the kids 'offering to pack your bags' in Sainsburys and Morrisons etc, and expecting a donation for their trip to Peru! (Although that seems to have not happened since Covid thankfully. Along with the annoying and tedious medicine reviews in pharmacies...) Covid does have a few small advantages!

Em8725 · 06/12/2021 18:47

Ask around and see if there are any local places that need donations. Yes you still have to buy it from somewhere- but we are doing a toy appeal at work which is being arranged by the local church. We are not the sort of place associated with kids toys at all so we totally aren’t expecting anything at all in return, just a bit of kindness 😊

tallduckandhandsome · 06/12/2021 18:51

Asda have a toy appeal too.

I know Tesco are currently topping food bank donations by 20%, maybe they’re doing the same for the toy bank?

I’m donating to my work one, who have no skin in the gave and are extremely generous.

Floralnomad · 06/12/2021 18:52

How is it cynical , you can put anything in the box it doesn’t have to be bought from the shop . The tesco near us collects an enormous amount of food for the local food banks and also sells second hand books for charity .

WorraLiberty · 06/12/2021 18:53

It's just a drop-off point

You can buy them where you want

JingleTheFlamingo · 06/12/2021 18:56

What is annoying me lately, is (for example) I go to McDonalds, and when I checkout (on the machine I am ordering my food on,) it asks 'do you want to give to charity? 5p, 10p, 50p, £1??? Or 'not today.' Give to charity? What charity? confused You can't just say 'for charity....'

I did this the other day. It tells you. It's for their own charity, Ronald McDonald House.

WingBingo · 06/12/2021 18:56

Is this for new toys, or second hand as well?

If it’s the latter, it’s irrelevant really if the former, then yes, it’s a bit cheeky as they are assuming it’s toys you have just bought in Tescos.

Unless you have made the effort to take a new item from another shop to Tesco.

rrhuth · 06/12/2021 19:00

Oh fgs, some people are never happy! You can do the salvation army appeal with any toy bought anywhere if you have strong views.

NumaNumaYay · 06/12/2021 19:03

Best bet really is to donate money directly to your local food bank. It's boring and you don't get the nice feeling of selecting something and putting it in a basket but it's the best use of money - they will know what's most needed and where they can negotiate the best price, bulk buy, etc.

But I think the baskets in stores are a good reminder as well.

Tree80fLife99 · 06/12/2021 19:03

Morrisons had a shoebox collection this year, items included stationary, toothpaste, toothbrush, gloves, hat, sweets, soap etc
They also supplied the shoe boxes
They also had a giving tree, where you could donate money towards a gift

However the date has passed it was the end of November

Co op usually have a box to put donations for the food bank in store

Supermarkets cashing in on people's kindness
Rainartist · 06/12/2021 19:09

I put toys in from any shop. When the children were young and got duplicate gifts I put the extras in, as long as they're new I can't see it matters.

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