Fed up of businesses aligning themselves with politics!

[thehorsehasnowbolted]

I was about to grab a turkey and cranberry sandwich yesterday at a major retailer when I noticed on the package that 5% of that purchase would go to Shelter.

Why are we being increasingly forced nowadays to contribute to causes we may not necessarily agree with in this way? Why don't businesses stick to selling goods? Why the constant virtue signalling? It's annoying

I do not intend to comment on this charity in particular, but I have seen my fair share of pensioners being out of pocket to evict problem tenants who were in a position to pay the rent and look after properties but simply didn't want to and just played the system.

The results of charities activities are not always 100% positive, so customers shouldn't be forced to contribute in this way.

Why do businesses assume that their customers agree with the charities they pick? The constant virtue signalling is patronising and insulting.

I am not an expert in all of this. I am sure there are many more people able to give a more sophisticated analysis - not least those who work in sales and marketing in businesses that sell sandwiches, and are involved in the decisions about pricing, fillings, charity tie-ins etc

An M&S pre-prepared sandwich is not one of life's basic necessities.

Those on the breadline are not buying pre-prepared sandwiches from anywhere. And are far more likely to need the services of charities like Shelter than people buying pre-prepared sandwiches

You could avoid this (un)ethical dilemma by taking a packed lunch OP.

But I've so enjoyed your tortuous attempts to take the moral high ground while griping about a company donating to a charity you've got the hump with, I've just donated £20 to Shelter.

I agree and especially in regards to deeply problematic charities like Shelter. But I just routinely decline donations that are just really tax dodges or leave shops if they have political statements on display.

There are many more food products, brands, shops, supermarkets etc that force obligatory charity donations. It's not limited to pre-prepared sandwiches.

😂😂😂 I get the feeling the OP thought they would get a groundswell of support...!

This

Yes, and there are also shops that sell the same products without the charity tie-in.

I am sorry you are not in the target market for your chosen shopping outlets.

Businesses have always "meddled" with politics.

That's why they donate to political parties.

It's also why I'd boycott Wetherspoons even if they were great pubs, and I won't buy a JCB if I ever need a digger.

As the owner of a rental property, I am happy to accept that I am wealthy by the standards of the majority of the population, many of whom will never be able to own their own property however hard they work.

I am providing a long-term, well maintained home for someone at lower than market rent. But I do benefit from unearned income. And take the knocks (a year of non-payment of rent, plus legal costs to evict, plus deliberate damage to the property) that come with it. I am not a victim.

C'mon.....you're being deliberately obtuse now surely?

Of course there's been no country wide poll on the subject.

But businesses, particularly big businesses, spend a huge amount of time, money, and effort analysing consumer behaviours and data to make sure the decisions they make will be as profitable as possible, will appeal to as wide a demographic as possible, and will not cause them reputational harm.

I've answered this multiple times and this still isn't relevant to the OPs original point on the moral aspect of obligatory charity donation.

This appears to be going in circles at this point, so I'll leave this here. Have a nice night.

Yes, it is circular.

The OP was not obliged to buy the sandwich. There are no 'obligatory' charity donations.

This might be news to you but the customer isn't always right. If anything, most of the time they're clueless and just like complaining

Does anyone remember the times when most businesses were corner shops with individual owners? Do you imagine any of them being so dumb as to say something like this and send business away? They were certainly wise men who would advise never to discuss religion or politics with a customer for fear to offend them and lose their custom

How have we gone from those savvy principles to the shambles that are big preachy dogmatic corporations today?

wow have you heard yourself? Who are you? Scrooge!? Who could possibly have anything bad to say about some money going to a homeless charity? Jesus..

But I do benefit from unearned income

Your income is not unearned. You must be a very peculiar landlord

So the businesses that support charities do it because it gives them an advantage, which results in profits. In the case of mass sales, that is appealing to the majority

A PP said that it was because investors made it a condition for investing. Which is it?

So you know for sure that the country agrees with obligatory charity donations?

Really? Because I went for a tenant who I was confident would look after the place and pay the rent, and in return I accept a lower rent and make sure any repairs are done?

I have family reasons for wanting to keep a flat in that location rather than pay off my mortgage where I live. Otherwise would not have a second property.

I am only able to do that because bank of Mum and Dad enabled me to buy it before property prices took off. I have been lucky, and I don't see it as 'earned' by me compared with the many other people who have worked just as hard but not had the good luck

@thehorsehasnowbolted corner shops as the default were a very, very long time ago. I'm 55 and when I was little, I went shopping with my mother. In a supermarket.

You're talking about a different world with the typical toxic nostalgia people in the UK so love to indulge in. No, there were no charities in shops. But it was illegal to be openly gay, never mind having marriage equality. Rape in marriage didn't exist in law. Signs saying 'no dogs, no blacks, no Irish' were just fine.

Not such a wise world at all.

The people buying items with a charity tie-in are choosing to do so. The same items are available elsewhere

So you know for sure that the country agrees with obligatory charity donations?

Imaginary surveys apparently

There are still corner shops. They are more expensive than supermarkets, because their sales niche is convenience and longer opening hours.

But they don't tend to have charity tie-ins, so sell the product without the 'obligatory' donation.

I am sure any company with a half-decent marketing department does not do a charity tie-in unless it will lead to bigger profits, yes.

You're talking about a different world with the typical toxic nostalgia people in the UK so love to indulge in

Why is it toxic to try and not drive away business through sheer foolhardy and disrespect for your customer base?

Words fail me. The narrative is so ingrained that you can't even see how ridiculous your statement is