Savers - asked donation at the checkout. Is it new?

[myloveislikewow]

Posting here cuz it's Savers specific. hope thats ok.

Just been to a local Savers.
When it comes to pay (human cashier), she mumbled something and when I tried to tap my card on the pin pad it didn't go thru, so I looked at the pin pad's digital screen carefully, it said something like "Would you like to donate 11p?"

(I ended up donating 11p btw.
Interestingly, it's not showing on the reciept I received🤔although credit card company's status showing the amount I spent on the goods +11p)

I know my local Tesco Express's self checkout asked for donation in the past, but never asked it at Savers before, so i thought to ask!

-Has it been around?
-Can the cashier choose who to ask for donation? (random pick?)
-Do you know who Savers donating to?

Would be interesting to hear if you or your friends work there and know the story behind. 🍹

The Co-op and Tesco do it as well.

Had this in a few places recently. Superdrug being one of them.

In the past few weeks Lidl has started asking for donations at checkout and Primark.
I don't go into P that often so maybe it's not that new I'm not sure but Lidl I'm in often and this is v recent.

Several places are doing this locally. Annoys me and I have no shame saying no.

In Iceland too.

It's in every shop, and lots of sites I use lately.

No I don't want to donate money when I've just paid a damned fortune for my shopping, the companies can donate to charity from their profits instead of trying to milk their customers for more and then claim all the credit and publicity.

Anyone actually experienced this at Savers??

I bought items for local food bank, I said I couldn’t donate because I was donating to the local food bank.

I haven’t noticed it in other shops locally.

Savers, Iceland and Primark over the last few days.
I have politely said "not today".

I’ve noticed a few places asking me to donate, Lidl being the most recent one.

McDonald's too - on their self service screens.
They usually say "would you like to round up".
I do sometimes with McDonald's because I think their charity is an excellent one.

I say “no” when this happens but the way the money is automatically listed and you have to physically say or press the “no” button is no different to chugging in my book and I object on principle.

If shops want to raise money for charity they can make that an option after you have paid the bill. IME the “charity” is rarely named so I don’t even know where the money goes. When I ask the staff, they plainly don’t know either.

I’d like to see it banned frankly and converted to an explicit opt in (which some companies have on their checkout pages - you have to check the box to opt in and the charity is clearly named).

Are they still asking you to buy fragrance, batteries and mascara at the till along side the money donation?

Yep.
I feel sorry for Savers staff.

Lidl started last week, to a specific charity whereas Poundland it’s just to their foundation

I do give money to McDonald’s because the Ronald McDonald houses are amazing and they were doing them long before most people were even aware of the need and before hospital (foundations) started building facilities themselves, as the only children’s hospital covering a huge area, the fact families can stay there keeps families together

I may just be being an old curmudgeon here, but they brought in contactless to save us from having to read the card terminal screen and press five buttons - and now we're backtracking and still having to read the screen and press a button.

I know people will say it's only a few pence and you can easily select No (as long as you have decent eyesight and don't get confused), but I find it irritating too.

Worst of all is when it just says "for charity" with no indication at all as to which charity.

IME most of them just say “for charity”.

I’d be really interested to hear the charity commission’s view on this in terms of chugging since the set up obliges people to refuse a donation to the often unnamed charity before they can proceed and there is no advance warning in stores that “we try to chug you at check out”.

Yes. Its come in at our savers and also at a few of the supermarkets. I noticed our Lidl have also brought it in. I too would be interested in if it can be considered chugging. Although much easier to press the no/ red button to opt out rather than be followed and harassed through the town center or as you try and leave the shop foyer by chuggers.

I did wonder if it has replaced the little charity boxes that used to be at checkouts as I know a lot of them get stolen around us and I haven't seen any boxes at tills for a bit.

And I was asked in the Cancer Research shop. It's kind of embarrassing to say no.

I'm not liking it. I usually put my penny change from 2.99 in their box.

Superdrug

All shops I went into today did this , mountain warehouse , smyths , decathlon . 1st time I’ve seen all shops asking for a donation

No.

That's a complete answer.

If I was in a mood I might respond "No, I donate my time and money to a number of charitable organisations and do not feel obligated to give to charities without fully researching their CEO paycheck."

I am often blunt with anyone stupid enough to not see the "no cold callers" sign on the front door too.

They do it at The Entertainer toy shop too. I have even been caught out on PayPal by accidentally donating when completing checkout on something.

Does annoy me, as these places that do it are pressuring you to donate in times of austerity, and it’s not nice having to say no in front of a queue full of people. It’s no different to the chuggers in the street really.

If they care about charity, they can donate out of their own profits!

Its everywhere now. All those 10/11ps ruddy add up. I say no, I don't care If I get a hacky look..I give enough to ruddy charity.