During the recession, donations to charity plummeted as consumers attempted to save money and spend only on essentials. While donation rates are now increasing again, however, new research has shown that consumers believe retailers should be doing more to give the UK’s biggest charities a helping hand.
Charity giving in Asda
In a study conducted by social enterprise Give as you Live, it was found that 79 per cent of British consumers would like to see retailers launching initiatives which support worthwhile causes. Moreover, the vast majority of the 2000-plus participants in the survey claimed to believe that retailers do not attain acceptable levels of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) credentials and would like to see this change in the near future.
Yet the study also highlighted the potential benefit for retailers known to be involved in charitable gestures. 49 per cent of shoppers said they would increase spending with a retailer if they knew their purchase would assist in helping others, with 83 per cent expressing an interest in choosing which charities their retailer of choice would help.
Founder and CEO of Give as you Live, Polly Gowers OBE, believes retailers could increase their own profits and success by choosing to become involved in a charitable donations programme.
She said; “These survey findings send a very strong message to retailers in the UK.
“Not only do shoppers want to see retailers support charities, the perception that retailers are giving back to society actually impacts a shopper’s loyalty and amount they spend.”
At present, there are 160,000 charities in the UK according to Charity Choice – an organisation specialising in diverse ways to donate to different causes. With 86 per cent of respondents in the survey claiming that a dedication to CSR would influence their choice of retailer, there are plenty of good causes available for retailers looking to draw in new customers with a demonstration of social responsibility.
Smaller retailers could raise their profile in the community, for example, by collecting donations for a local cause such as an animal home or a hospice, while larger retailers can appeal to customers using large national causes. Many retailers have the option of using online platforms to boost their charitable aspect, with Give as you Live providing support and information for interested businesses.
Ms Gowers continued; “Give as you Live offers retailers a unique way to support UK charities.
“When consumers shop online using our platform, a percentage of their spend goes to charity, which comes via the retailer as part of their affiliate marketing spend.
“This is an easy and simple way of ensuring that retailers can start doing their bit for UK charities and not just relying on the UK consumer to do all the heavy lifting.”
Would you be more inclined to spend more in-store or online if you knew your money would contribute towards a good cause?
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