On charitable giving, supermarkets, etc

[NetworkGuy]

In brief, it seems quite a lot of individuals and groups are using FB to promote collections of goods for transport to (eg) Poland, to assist Ukrainian refugees.

I don't follow FB personally but have had e-mails from Tesco and Asda (some extracts shown below)... My query is whether the like of supermarkets could be doing MUCH more, like gifting 5% of last year's profits rather figures like £1M...

Yes, Govt could surely go to £50 M, or £100 M, instead of matching up to £20 M, though I can quite understand there will be logistical issues if stripping warehouses across all Europe to pass on items...

What do you think? Given massive (£400M and up) profits over past year for Morrisons, Asda, Sainsbury's and Tesco (biggest, at over £1250M) don't you think they could be more generous?

Extracts from Asda e-mail

"We’re thinking of everyone affected by the crisis – and we want to help. So, we’re donating a £1m package to support Ukrainian families displaced across Europe and the UK."

"A £250k corporate donation to UNICEF to support their efforts, including the setup of a Blue Dot centre, providing a safe space for up to 5,000 children and families on the move and emergency water and hygiene kits to be deployed on the ground."

"Essential supplies including George clothing, nappies, toiletries, period products and food delivered by Asda logistics partners to a supplier site in Poland for onward distribution in Ukraine."

Extract from Tesco e-mail

"We’re committed to working with the Red Cross, food banks and other relief organisations to provide help where it’s needed most. Across our UK, ROI and Central Europe businesses, we've already taken some initial steps to help.

Right now, we’re making a donation of £1 million to the Red Cross Ukraine Crisis Appeal to support their vital work with refugees and families fleeing the conflict.

Our first donations of food, hygiene products and clothing left depots in Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia on Saturday 26 February. We’ll continue to work closely with official relief organisations in all three countries, as well as local governments."

YABU. Why are you picking on companies that are doing something rather than nothing?

Don’t you think if they donate £1 billion we will all ask questions about why charity isn’t starting at home, ie charging stretched consumers too much.

We all need to do our bit for Ukraine, and if we all do our bit as a global community then they will get a lot of help.

Also they’ve removed a lot of Russian products from their shelves.

PS Yes, well aware of up to 2,000 staff at Sainsbury's Cafés could be jobless and not unsympathetic to their future too, but the refugees may have little more than clothes on their back for nex 6, 12, 24 months without help...

I do appreciate they are doing something, but suggested only 5% else pension funds, stock exchange, etc, will criticise.

The supermarkets have bulk buying power, transport and are in the best position to handle and join together co-ordinated supplies to Red Cross, better than dozens of "send a van" local groups.

I DO appreciate they are making an effort but my criticism is the really low scale and feel strongly they could do so much more.

Why should British supermarkets be compelled to give a portion of their profits to the latest cause célèbre? Why not other conflicts?

I work for Asda and I'm really glad they're actually doing something to help. Lots of stores also have something called a community champion which deal with the food bank collections and other in store/out of store fundraising. There's very likely more going on behind the scenes in stores to raise money for local efforts and to act as a base than you are aware of.

However I don't think it should be expected that private businesses 'do more' because they have the profits and infrastructure/resources. Asda and other supermarkets simply don't have those resources to spare to aid in transporting aid to Ukraine. It's not as simple as you seem to think it is.

They aren’t doing it because they want to help, they’re doing it because public opinion has huge sympathy with Ukraine right now and it’s good marketing.

Otherwise why haven’t they don’t anything to help people affected by war before in Afghanistan, Yemen, Palestine, Syria and anywhere else people are suffering?

I’ll give credit to the big supermarkets for helping when they help a cause that isn’t popular or well known but is equally worthy.