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.

Or maybe it brings them more custom, and you are not their target customer? And the money increases?

Let's all agree to meet here again in 10 years' time to see if these chains which have affiliated with charities have gone bust as compared to chains which have not done so. Want to start a little sweepstake on the outcome?

I'm in!

@thehorsehasnowbolted name your odds. I am happy to risk my money!

Wait wait wait wait wait...the act of a brand supporting Shelter is part of a conspiracy to destroy British retail? Yup, that checks out, I'm convinced!

Your commitment to this bit is admirable, OP, it really is.

Well, that's not conspiracy theory thinking at all, is it?

I'm not one for wacky theories, but you don't have to go far to see major British businesses suffer an awful fate - Debenhams, BHS, House of Fraser, etc

I know that you'll be tempted to blame Brexit, Covid, and so on, but bear with me

As of late, you don't even need to get a stake to influence a retailer's fate. Just ensure there is someone sufficiently dumb, feeble, scared, cynical (or all of the above) at the top who can alienate a large enough number of loyal customers. This also applies to 'advisors', marketing agencies, etc. Job done

I'm not saying this is all intentional, but it's easy to find a common theme, and if someone told me this is what's actually happening, it would be difficult for me not to believe it

BHS sold shite that young people didn't want to buy.

House of Fraser was overpriced with awful customer service.

Debenhams didn't move with the times in terms of its online offering, which was awful.

Occam's razor.

House of Fraser was overpriced with awful customer service.

Debenhams didn't move with the times in terms of its online offering, which was awful.

Not everyone is young. You are not young. Trying hard to align your views with the young will not magically make you 20 again

Hardly a day goes by without someone lamenting the closure of these retailers. There was absolutely nothing wrong with Debenhams. I bought online several times with no issues

Never mind, buy overpriced tat for twice the price (without even realising) because it's 'the thing to do' and you can get next day delivery. Not

Where charity links the reason for the demise of Debenhams, BHS and House of Fraser?

What charities did they support that resulted in a wave of revulsion for the Great British Buying Public? I am all agog... 🤔

Where dodgy charities to blame for our loss of Woolworths pick 'n' mix?

The public has a right to know!!!!

I'm not chronologically young. I also don't have your fogey mindset though. And it's very easy to do price comparisons - you seem to think that young people aren't able to be savvy shoppers just because they look at the ethical aspect of things too.

I do like a good Pick 'n Mix - fortunately Wilko have taken up that banner.

I also would like to know which charity links were responsible for the demise of Debenhams et al and of course see some actual evidence to support this.

Lastly, please do show me the surveys where people show their distaste for charity affiliations en masse. We're still waiting for those.

Were charity links the reason for the demise of Debenhams, BHS and House of Fraser?

I didn't say that. Please read my post

Lastly, please do show me the surveys where people show their distaste for charity affiliations en masse. We're still waiting for those

I'm also waiting for evidence of your assumptions below and lots of other implausible 'facts' mentioned on this thread

because for every one of you, there's at least one of me

I'm not chronologically young. I also don't have your fogey mindset though

Indeed. Neither of us are chronologically young.

But sharing 100% of the opinions of 20 year olds does not make liberals like you come across as 'young at heart'. It just makes them look like trying-too-hard-to-cling-to-their-youth middle aged people who have learnt nothing and have lived their life in vain in a lot of respects

There's a reason why so many older people are 'fogey', and that's because they have been able to reflect during the 50+ years they have have been alive

Writing something off just because it doesn't exist anymore (like the culture of small shop owners of bygone years) without questioning whether it was beneficial or not for business is one example of this.

Something must be inherently wrong because the young don't seem to like it. Right

You've had the information from actual experts on this thread who work in marketing. You just choose not to believe it because it doesn't suit your narrative.

A simple Google search makes it very clear that charitable links boost profit and sales. Many people on this thread have come up with links so maybe now it's time for you to do a bit of the work yourself.

Ooooh, we're down to using 'liberals' as an insult!

It's very simple. Some things were better in the past. Other things weren't. Change is inevitable. Adapt or die.

Jeez, one of the most overused phrases on MN has got to be " virtue signalling " 🤦‍♀️.Also one of the most irritating.
It's really quite simple. If a product donates to a charity that you don't agree with, just don't buy it.

@Pugdogmom I'm with you on that. You can't try to do the decent thing without being accused oif 'virtue signalling'. Seems you have to behave like a dick to be acceptable, when the hell did that happen?

Jeez, one of the most overused phrases on MN has got to be " virtue signalling " 🤦‍♀️.Also one of the most irritating.

The act of virtue signalling is much more irritating than the use of the phrase. Imagine how others feel

Virtue signalling is in the eye of the beholder though. One person's donation to charity is another person's virtue signalling.

I very much doubt that people are walking through the checkout at M&S shouting 'Look at me! I'm buying a charity sandwich!'

And as has been said many times, if you don't like a retailer's affiliations, other options are available. Or you suck it up and grumble and start a massive thread on Mumsnet complaining and telling those who disagree how wrong they all are.

So you've had all this time to reflect and you still haven't gotten around to comprehending that:

• most people on this thread disagreed with you (fact)
• charity partnerships don't harm retailers - we've had experts confirm this but no sensible evidence come from you so far

But most importantly, maybe having all this time isn't a good thing if your brain has time to get you wound up over a turkey sandwich. Food for thought?

OK , if you say so, it must be right then.... Still an extremely irritating phrase that is overused along with woke and snowflake. Really can't get my knickers in a twist over other people or what they do.
As I said, if I don't want to donate to a cause, I don’t. Putting a sticker on a sandwich isn't a big deal. Many companies have charities they support due to tax breaks.
You have stated clearly that you dislike Shelter, so buy something else...

What exactly is virtue signalling about donating to a homeless charity during one of the coldest times of the year?

‘Imagine how others feel’ 😂
Have you not stopped to think that if so many other people hold the same point of view as you then you would hear that more? M&S would be boycotted for their charity sandwich if people had such an issue with it, but guess what people don’t have an issue with it.

I agree you probably use the word snowflake too, which is the height of irony considering you are the one getting so offended over the proceeds of a turkey sandwich being donated to charity!!

I don't think, OP, that you can suggest that lack of statistical evidence undermines the opposing case unless you can cite statistical evidence that supports your own.

...really, who are they?

I don't think, OP, that you can suggest that lack of statistical evidence undermines the opposing case unless you can cite statistical evidence that supports your own

There are no reliable statistics supporting either case.

That's why those who say 'the young think this' or 'we are the majority and retailers cater for us' are talking nonsense