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.

Won’t someone think of the retired landlords who want evictions to be easier!!

#sandwichesforlandlords

I agree OP. And whatever about businesses that donate to charities the ones who want to lecture their customers can do one as far as I’m concerned.

I support a small number of charities, and as a principle I avoid the ones involved in whitewashing. We have a sordid history of grim dealings being, at best, ignored and, at worst actively facilitated in the name of charity. Jimmy Saville was a prime example. And he’s by no means an outlier.

Clearly it’s the case or Pret would have changed their strategy

It's not Pret BTW. It's another major retailer I usually but from.

They were usually quire restrained with this nonsense, so It's pretty grim to see them go down this rabbit hole as well

I sort of see your point about how prevalent it's becoming. I prefer to give separately rather than companies feeling smug that they have 'raised' ££. Why should my money help the company look good / feel good?

Also can see your point about the lack of choice of who to support. I'd actively avoid anything religious.

I'm less fussed about a donation with purchase and especially think 1% of profit or 1% of sales goes to a charity is good as that is a hit to their bottom line so more meaningful.

Un-fucking-believable

imagine people raising money to support homeless charities. It’s not like it’s getting cold out and people die in the streets every winter

I can’t imagine being so privileged I think I get to object a % of my premade sand which going to shelter.

I hope you never find yourself homeless op

Why are you more offended that a charity gets a small % of money than a large corporation that has chosen to part with some?

The price is the same and so no actual cost to you other than you preferring shelter did not get the money.

Seems pretty unreasonable to me 😊

imagine people raising money to support homeless charities. It’s not like it’s getting cold out and people die in the streets every winter

I used this as an example. I think it was quite clear in my OP.

Your right, the better outcome is for the M&S to just keep the 5%.

Everyone wins then.

Just reread that and it was very badly written and makes no sense - apologies!!

Why are you more offended that a charity gets a small % of money, when that money belongs to a corporation who can do what they want with it? What makes you prefer additional profit goes to a company that doesnt want it need it?

The specific example is very relevant though considering you intentionally didn’t buy the product you actually wanted because 5% of the profits would go to a homeless charity.

YANBU, Richard Herring did a good piece about this obligatory charity giving years ago. If I remember correctly, he complained in Pizza Express because a portion of the price was going towards flood relief in Venice which he didn't want to support because it was their own fault for building the city where it was bound to get flooded. The restaurant agreed to waive the charge for him and pay it on his behalf, but that wasn't the point, the charity would still have got the money. He just wanted the pizza, he didn't want to contribute to the cause.

What makes you prefer additional profit goes to a company that doesnt want it need it?

The additional profit could go to pay for salaries, for instance. That wouldn't be outrageous, would it?

But my point is why are customers being forced to donate with their purchases, that's what I have an issue with

They all indoctrinate, what do you think those massive marketing budgets are for?

I agree too, OP. I don’t like companies deciding which charities that I should be donating to, even if indirectly. If you can afford to donate a % of the price of my item to charity, then you can reduce it by that same percentage, and I’ll decide which charity I want to donate to. Or not. But it’s my money.

Instead, the company could donate the money from the boards salaries, or shareholder dividends, if they want to carry out a charitable act and shout about it. I understand it’s often more complex, such as there are tax breaks for donating. But the principle still stands for me.

Happy for a business to support a charity, not happy if they are a bad employer (latest example Elon Musk with Twitter if reports are true).

Erm. This exact line can be applied to the church.... you can support whatever charity you like, truly. Just dont buy the sandwich.
But its a bit rich for you to say this when you actively support the church, which historically has yes done a lot of good but also faaaaairly horrific amounts of 'unintended consequences'....

They all indoctrinate, what do you think those massive marketing budgets are for?

Well, they shouldn't! And we are all paying indirectly for these marketing budgets and our own indoctrination! Why don't they just advertise the qualities of their products and leave it at that?

I want to know more about the actual product, I'm not interested in somebody else's morals and woo

This

1. advertising is usually part of the overall marketing budget. Where do you think they should advertise the quality of the product?
2. you may not be interested in the charitable giving of some companies but many people are. If you have 2 shops with nearly the same product and price next to each other but one donates a small % of profits to charity then that can be a deciding factor in what will make the customer choose that one
3. Investors are increasingly looking at things like charitable giving / purpose etc in choosing where to place their money. This kind of stuff really does have a value
4. once again, no one is forcing anyone to buy a Christmas sandwich

But my point is why are customers being forced to donate with their purchases, that's what I have an issue with

Stop saying “force”. You aren’t forced to buy anything, you aren’t forced to shop in M&S. Companies will have their own values and they may or may not align with yours. It’s your choice to support them or not.
I don’t agree with the Daily Mail’s inflammatory ‘news writing’ so I don’t buy it. I don’t support Boohoo’s slave labour so I don’t shop there.

You aren’t forced to do anything.

Businesses will donate to charity all the time without printing it on the front of the package, at least this way you are fully away of what is being supported and by how much.

If it offends you so much you don’t have to buy it, which you didn’t.
It’s not a human right to be able to buy a Christmas sandwich that has no charitable cause or political affiliations.

No purchase is neutral even without the proceeds going to a cause because you are still giving money to the business and what they stand for.

What a thing to get offended about! Don't like the charity? Don't buy the product.

Oh, and morals are not 'woo'.

I want to know more about the actual product, I'm not interested in somebody else's morals and woo

I can think of a few companies with robust, long lasting, innovative products. They often spend precious advertising space and ££ on highlighting the quality of what they are actually selling.

Maybe those who focus on virtue signalling on their ads have nothing really good to offer but their 'morals'? i.e. their products are quasi-disposable, fast fashion types, tastes rank, etc

Food for thought here

Fir me it is the other way around - I'm fed up of politics aligning with businesses.

Investors are increasingly looking at things like charitable giving / purpose etc in choosing where to place their money. This kind of stuff really does have a value

If that were the case, I would question the motives of these 'investors'.

Businesses forget that those who support them are their customers (and that's where their loyalty should be with), not their investors