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 charity shop one is odd.
They ask if you want to add 50p on.
If they want to charge 50p more then charge that.
People will pay £1 for a paperback book. People will pay £1.50 for a paperback.
People are a bit miffed to expect to pay £1 and then asked to add 50p on as extra.

With The Entertainer I'd be concerned that charity was something evangelical related, given the ownership of the chain, and that's not something I'd personally want to donate to.

Yes today just now. Mumbling cashier too so no idea on the charity! I said no..

Everywhere is doing it these days. Drives me mad. I just hit 'No' every time.

We give a lot to local charity shops, have done organised events for the local hospice and cancer charities and always donate to dog shelters / animal rescues.

I'm not going to be guilt tripped into "oh it's just 11p" because this is how these things spiral.

Do you remember when Comic Relief / Children In Need would be "ring / text to donate £1, £5 or £10"? Now it's "ring / text to donate £20, £50....". No mention of smaller amounts!

It’s everywhere nowadays. I don’t like it and I can see why it makes people uncomfortable, but there’s no need to feel bad for saying no. People behind you in the queue don’t care and wouldn’t know how you donate to charity. You might volunteer three times a week and have multiple standing orders to charities and still want to say no to a nameless charity at the till.

Hobbycraft did it with a charity for children with life limiting illnesses. I did absolutely feel guilty when I pressed no before fully clocking the cause.

.. and Galaxy chocolate bars? and David Beckham scent?
The assistants at my former Savers' had an aggressive approach and literally scowled when you declined 😬

I think it save the company tax somehow, is that right though?

I hate it - it should have to tell you which charity it is, but it often doesn't.

I'll choose which charities to donate to in my own time thanks.

And did I mention that I hate it 😄.

This has happened to me before.sometimes I give sometimes I don't. I do hate the secrecy/ mumbling it's all a bit dodgy. I had a look on savers website and there's no mention anywhere of an affiliated charity

I just had a look online about Savers.
I found a statement that said they were supporting Marie Curie but that was dated 2022 so I don't know if they still support them.

Yes, today. It said on screen it was for Marie Curie

Awh really I must have missed it

Pound land do it too now.

Poundland have been doing it for quite some time now, the first time I said yes and pressed the green button but now I do the red button and don't donate.

I have recently had it in another shop but can't remember off hand what shop it was, it may have been Savers as I was in there this past week.

I dislike them intensely, it's really annoying so I pay cash, they don't ask you to donate then.

I hate this. If you want to get publicity and kudos for collecting for charity then use your own damn profits you multi million dollar corporation!

I'd like to know which charity first. Sometimes it's not always obvious when they don't say.

I had this in Savers this morning, did a double take and immediately thought not here too. That’s after dodging people on the high street outside to sign up to this or donate to that. It’s ridiculous

It allows the companies to portray themselves as good corporate citizens and trumpet how much 'we' raised without actually costing them anything. Do they match the donations themselves? I've never seen anything to that effect. They just take credit in their annual report and PR releases. Don't be cowed in to donating.

It's just another of those things that corporations get away with, which ordinary people never would.

Can you imagine that am everyday person standing on the high street next to a big bucket with a sign saying "For Charity" would make much - let alone be allowed by the authorities to keep on doing it unchecked?

I think somebody once came up with the idea of asking for 'just a little extra' and then everybody picked up on it as a way to boost income, supposedly 'without anybody noticing' and still cling on to it slavishly and relentlessly as A Worthwhile Thing.

If they upped their prices by 50p, instead of asking for another 50p at the till, somebody would quickly come up with the 'great idea' of asking for another 50p on top of the already-increased price - a bit like restaurants that add on a 'service charge' but then also enthusiastically solicit tips on top of that.

To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if, before long, they don't start increasing their prices by 50p, then also asking for another 50p as an extra donation, and then asking if you'd like to round up or add another 50p to your total which already includes the first 50p (not to mention the increased original price for that specific purpose)!

Hate it. I donate, but chose what and where. This counter chugging is awful. Everywhere you go someone has a hand out, physically or virtually now.

@IfYouPutASausageInItItsNotAViennetta that made my brain spin 😂

It’s money and time as well. There are more and more ‘fees’ added to price (admin fee, booking fee, service charge, delivery fee, etc.) but also, after you’ve made a purchase they go after your time and won’t leave you alone! “Fill out this feedback questionnaire”, “scan this QR code and leave us a google review” etc.

I’d like to know how often the donations are paid to the charities. Could be quite a tidy sum amassing in the companies’ accounts presumably?