25p for charity

Ben8282

I used a credit card in an esso petrol station earlier this evening.
After entering my PIN a message came up on the screen exactly as it does in a restaurant asking if you want to add a gratuity. This message said:
'Add 25p for charity? Yes/No'
There is no indication of the name or even the nature of the charity who will receive this money.
I chose no.
I don't really think that thios sort of thing is acceptable.

EarthBoy

Was it a Shop' N Drive store? If so, the charity is the RNIB:

http://www.rnib.org.uk/motorists-go-%E2%80%98extra-mile%E2%80%99-bid-raise-%C2%A31-million-sight-loss-charity

They gave you choice, yes or no, so why isn't it acceptable?

Ben8282

Thanks for providing this information.
As to why it is unacceptable:
1. There is no information provided in the petrol station shop or on the terminal as to which charity it is for.
2. If they want to put out a collection box for the RNIB that's fine; if they want to put up a notice next to the box saying that donations may be made by card that would also be acceptable. What is unacceptable is simply to attempt to add it on and for the customer to actually have to decline to give the contribution.

agrinnall

I'd probably choose No as well, but I assume you have a tongue in your head and could have asked the cashier what the charity was.

HappyMJ

Ben8282 wrote: »

Thanks for providing this information.
As to why it is unacceptable:
1. There is no information provided in the petrol station shop or on the terminal as to which charity it is for.
2. If they want to put out a collection box for the RNIB that's fine; if they want to put up a notice next to the box saying that donations may be made by card that would also be acceptable. What is unacceptable is simply to attempt to add it on and for the customer to actually have to decline to give the contribution.

The problem with collection boxes these days is that fewer transactions are carried out in cash. More transactions are now carried out by card and customers aren't getting change to put in the box.

chattychappy

I don't like it either. A similar thing happened to me when checking out of a hotel in Spain recently. The bill was printed out and whilst I was checking it, the guy presented me with the PDQ machine. I noticed an unexpected charge. He said "it's for the children". I don't have any children... then he pointed to a notice on the desk saying that bills would have this extra charge added but customers could "opt out". I opted out... and I (and the people behind me) had to wait whilst he typed something into the computer and the dot matrix printer did its stuff again.

Usually I've got other things on my mind in these situations -I really don't want to be thinking about giving to charity at this moment. I do charity in my own way in my own time. If companies want to donate to charity, that's great to. Just don't involve me.

Petrol stations are there to sell me petrol and that's what I expect to pay for. Hotels are there to provide rooms. I object to the charity thing intervening at the point of sale.

Stevie_Palimo

chattychappy wrote: »

I don't like it either. A similar thing happened to me when checking out of a hotel in Spain recently. The bill was printed out and whilst I was checking it, the guy presented me with the PDQ machine. I noticed an unexpected charge. He said "it's for the children". I don't have any children... then he pointed to a notice on the desk saying that bills would have this extra charge added but customers could "opt out". I opted out... and I (and the people behind me) had to wait whilst he typed something into the computer and the dot matrix printer did its stuff again.

Usually I've got other things on my mind in these situations -I really don't want to be thinking about giving to charity at this moment. I do charity in my own way in my own time. If companies want to donate to charity, that's great to. Just don't involve me.

Petrol stations are there to sell me petrol and that's what I expect to pay for. Hotels are there to provide rooms. I object to the charity thing intervening at the point of sale.

By your reckoning then a hotel should not provide food or drink and a petrol garage should only supply petrol, What a stupid comment to make and again refer to above posts that say you have both a choice and that less people use cash these days.


Some people are such misers it just gets on my nerves.

d70cw6

charity begins with my 2nd bottle of vodka for the evening

JKSandy

Its about being informed, TK Maxx and Dominos doing something similar although they state what charity, so I agree they should put a notice of which charity its going to.


I will not give any money to RSPCA due to the volume of healthy animals they put down so I would be angry if I chose to donate and then found out it was for them.

chattychappy

Stevie_Palimo wrote: »

By your reckoning then a hotel should not provide food or drink and a petrol garage should only supply petrol

Not at all. But I would object if when tendering my card for petrol, they added a "do you want a Mars bar" question. In my example, the donation had ALREADY been added to the printed bill and the amount just appeared on the PDQ machine.

Stevie_Palimo wrote: »

What a stupid comment to make ....Some people are such misers it just gets on my nerves.

If the "miser" remark was aimed at me, then you have no idea about how generous I am to good causes.

[Deleted User]

Another thought: if you press "yes" to a donation, are YOU making the donation, or is the company?

I'm thinking Gift Aid - surely by doing it at the till, you can't add Gift Aid in the same way that you could if you made the donation on their website. So the charity loses out on 25%, and you lose out on being able to write it off on a Tax Credits claim.

I wonder, if the shop is the official "donator", if they get any write-offs or tax breaks for doing it?