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.

Nobody is forcing you to buy a sandwich - buy something else or shop somewhere different if you feel that strongly.

Personally, if I had nipped in to buy something and noticed that a certain charity would be getting about 15p from my purchase, I wouldn't care, might make a mental note not to buy there again if it was something I didn't want to donate to, but that's my choice.

Deliberately just went to M&S and bought a bunch of their charity sandwiches and to go food off of the back of OP's misery. Enjoy that lump of coal this year 👍

This thread has to be a wind up.

Firstly, anyone under the misapprehension that running a business is nothing to do with politics needs to have a rethink.

Secondly, anyone under the misapprehension that the fact that the UK has such a need for homeless charities (to look after some of our most vulnerable when the government is unwilling to) is also unrelated to politics is having an absolute giraffe.

Christ I can't even be bothered to articulate my.pther points about how retail business models operate but fortunately plenty of other sane posters have done that anyway.

Jog on, OP.

Perfect response.

You keep talking about you being 'forced' and customers being 'forced', as many PP have said there is nothing making you or anyone else buy that M&S sandwich. You have the right to take your custom elsewhere but complaining about a homeless charity getting a few pennies from the sale of a sandwich is not very Christian of you.

Thanks for the thread OP - was compiling a list of charities to try and set up a little direct debit too in the new year (every little helps and things are only going to get worse for the most vulnerable), already had our local homelessness charity on the list but stupidly didn’t realise the work shelter did re lobbying for fairer tendency laws and holding landlords accountable; have now added them - homelessness and the housing crisis require government input to solve (although debatable if the current lot are interested in solving it).

After all, proverbs 21:13…

I don't consider donations to one's church to be charitable giving. It's self-serving to say the least, and many churches meddle in politics and public policy far more than business do. I and millions of others are fed up with that.

Might want to have a look in the mirror.

The activities of many churches have undesirable outcomes, too.

I recently returned from the US and there's a thing spreading where you're asked to your face if you'll donate your change to whatever it is ... coming to a UK store near you anytime soon

This happened to me recently here in the UK. I can't remember where, but it was also a major retailer. I just politely and firmly said 'NO'.

If they can be forceful and brazen, I can be brazen x 2. I won't be coerced in public in this way and these days, the cheekyfuckery is so relentless that I'm past caring what randoms on the street will think.

You have no say or control over where the proceeds of your sandwich money goes. It could go in the shareholders' pockets, about which you have no say. It could go to the company's CSR efforts, about which you have no say, probably have no knowledge, and which may already fund causes that you don't support

This is interesting.

Of course I don't have any control of what businesses do with their profits. But making it explicit in this way is for some reason more irritating. They are saying that it is obvious to them that I should be supporting xyz charity, and that if I don't, for whatever reason, I'm in the wrong. They wouldn't dream to say that to your face, but it is effectively what they are doing.

I doubt any randoms care one way or the other.

Are you this agitated about how your church spends its revenue? Are they transparent?

those poor pensioners hoarding more property than they need might actually have to abide by the law and face the consequences of their actions

The pensioners I mentioned in my OP were not breaking the law. Also Christianity does not support the antics of tenants trying to pull a fast one and live rent free.

Anyhow, those bashing landlords on this thread are missing the point completely

Are you this agitated about how your church spends its revenue?

No, I have no reason to be

They are saying that it is obvious to them that I should be supporting xyz charity, and that if I don't, for whatever reason, I'm in the wrong. They wouldn't dream to say that to your face, but it is effectively what they are doing.

I think you might be being just a teeny weeny bit oversensitive.

You sound absolutely delightful 🙄

83% of under 40 year olds want to buy brands that do good

Again, who have they asked? How have they come up with these results?

Do you think young people participating in 'focus groups' for meagre payment (potentially because they are sadly unemployed) would be the bulk of the loyal customer base for these huge retailers spending £££? Do you think those responding would spend £3 on a sandwich?

Most people don't have the luxury of giving an arse of what business is donating to what charity. If I'm buying a turkey sandwich at lunch it's because I've not made my own lunch that morning because it's been a busy day. It makes no difference if they donate or not, I'm just hungry.

Didn't take 15 seconds to find this; no doubt there are plenty of similar reports.

www.thirdsector.co.uk/consumers-favour-companies-support-charities-says-study/fundraising/article/1183955

M&S do this every year. Its 5% of sale price of about 4 sandwiches from their entire range so just buy a different one, or shop somewhere else. I think they've made a reasonable assumption that most people won't be offended by a charity that helps people have a roof over their heads.

Not really understanding the fuss over the sandwich being £3 either.

Didn't take 15 seconds to find this; no doubt there are plenty of similar reports

A survey of 1.100 people 🙄

It completely proves my point. It's also impossible to know the background or demographics of the respondents, etc etc

83% of under 40 year olds want to buy brands that do good

Again, who have they asked? How have they come up with these results?

I can't comment on that particular survey, but am well aware that it's often done by "priming" the responder with questions which encourage a certain type of response, then hitting them with the one they're actually aiming for

The method is perhaps best illustrated here:

I like your assumption that people who respond to surveys must be unemployed. Says a lot about you, OP.

I do YouGov and I get these kinds of questions all the time. I'm old and not unemployed.

But you seem determined to believe that you are right and that everyone else on this thread, the vast majority of whom disagree with you, must be wrong. Surprise, surprise.

It completely proves my point. It's also impossible to know the background or demographics of the respondents, etc etc

If someone did a survey of older people who shop at M&S, would you expect all of them to feel exactly as you do? I think you might be disappointed. Most people don't mind giving a few pennies to charity.

Do you think those responding would spend £3 on a sandwich?

You’ve mentioned this exact phrase multiple times. You come across quite nasty really, you are entitled to support or not support whatever charity you choose but the detail in your posts are very telling.
Why do you think people in surveys would be more likely to be unemployed? Why do you think people who are a part of consumer data wouldn’t be likely to spend £3 on a sandwich?

It doesn’t matter whether you cast doubt on these random surveys, the fact is the shop hasn’t pulled the product and neither have other shops with similar strategies. I’m sure these businesses know much more about the analytics of their sales strategy than you do.
If as many people were offended about donating 5% of the profits to charity then they wouldn’t continue to market the product in that way.
Clearly most people do not get so angry and bitter about a few pennies being donated to charity, most probably scan the sandwiches and then think ‘oh great I was buying lunch anyway and a portion of the proceeds go to charity - win win’.

Why do you think people in surveys would be more likely to be unemployed?

Would you take a day off work to take part in a focus group? I couldn't

The surveys are neither here nor there, as those taking the time to respond are more likely to be already engaging in activism. Or questions are loaded, or responders 'primed' as mentioned upthread