A surprise for many on social media as more people begin calling out that many in-store donations do not actually go to the charities as advertised, but instead pay off donations companies are writing off. Those working in retail may have begun questioning why they are pressured to ask customers to donate, as well as places like Goodwill which have quotas for employees to gain a certain percentages of donations within a period. The reason why has started becoming more public knowledge, with some upset by the idea the money they pay not directly going to a cause they support.

This method has some additional purposes besides just paying off money spent, but also allows companies to gauge their consumer populations’ financial situation based on how much money they have to spare, allowing companies to explain why they would increase product prices. This during a time of major inflation and shrinkflation in general is less than welcome by consumers. Financial strain is a struggle seen across the world post-2020, and misuse of people’s charity isn’t benefiting the people but the companies using charity for personal benefits. The issue now is how to get around this and ensure donations go to where they’re intended.

Instead of donating to a company, it’s best to look into the websites of charities directly as they often have donation links or a list of physical events to participate in such as walkathons. Keep mindful that employees will continue to ask for donations, and sometimes upper management may further question when told no, even if it’s inappropriate. Another option for being charitable directly is volunteering in the local area for food banks, helping organize charity events, and running toy, clothing, or food drives in the neighborhood. Charity is important, but it’s important to make sure the charity provided goes where it’s intended.