AIBU - Tesco asking me to donate money on my shopping bill?

I'd feel the same Maries, it's unacceptable pressure and I'm not impressed that Tesco have agreed to it. Don't change your supermarket though (think of the petrol costs) but try to change how you feel about this at the checkout.
I'm glad to be forwarned about this as I'm due to go to Tesco today. I think the best response when asked to donate is a big smile and 'Not today thankyou'
Or does your Tesco have self service tills where you scan your own things? Avoids being asked.

I agree with you that this is pressure - you could be doing a number of shops a week and asked each time. The Sainsbury's I go to in the UK support the local food bank and have large boxes placed on the way out so you can pop packet/tins etc as you go past. There is also a list of suitable foods.
We donate to two charities - one national and one local but both about children - we are happy to do that although the national one did have a period when they kept ringing and asking for the donation to be increased. OH pointed out we had begun these donations when we were working and were now retired and would stop the donation if they continued to hassle us. That does seem to have done the trick.

I don't mind being asked to donate, but this is because I feel comfortable saying no. None of us can donate every time someone asks. I prefer to donate to charities I have chosen. It is good to practice saying this useful short word I think.
So I smile and say this is not one of the charities I am supporting at the moment. One of my charities of choice is Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research. Wicks were kind enough to support us and ask customer if they would like to donate 50p. This was part of a wider fundraising effort on their behalf. I'm sure plenty of Wicks customers were able to say no without feeling awkward.

I don't think you're being unreasonable at all, maries. Tesco should devise a better way to fund-raise for charity which gives people an easy opt-out – i.e. one should be able to ignore it if one has charitable commitments already, or if one can't afford it, or if one simply doesn't want to give to a certain charity.

If I were you I would write to the manager of the store and complain.

But don't feel bad about saying no when they ask for a donation. What they are doing is wrong in my book.

I would feel the same as you do, but I would say no and I,d tell them I don't like this method of fund-raising.

Maries If you were standing in the queue behind someone at the till who said that they didn't want to donate to the charity, would you think that they were being mean? Probably not, so why worry about what other people will think about you?

Considering the comparative costs...... I wonder how customers in the Ford showroom would respond if they were asked to donate £1,000 to charity when they bought a new Focus?

Notso Now that might be worth trying.

Tesco are totally out of order putting pressure on you like that. I would complain to the head office.

Is it pressure if they just ask you politely?
Wouldn't pressure look different to that?

It is pressure because people feel bad about saying no. It's not pressure if there is a real option to say yes or no without anyone else knowing whether one is saying yes or no. The pressure is the publicity of it.

Or how abut asking how much Tesco are donating, out of the massive profits they make?

A local restaurant started doing this, adding it to the bill and if you didn't want to donate you had to deduct it. I already support two charities regularly and felt this was like moral blackmail - so I told them I wouldn't be going back and the reason why

I agree, barrow, that is moral (well immoral, actually) blackmail. There is too much of it about and I think it is based on the idea of the means justifying the end which is itself immoral.

Coercive fund-raising must surely be counter-productive as it makes one feel most uncharitable towards the charities doing it.

Exactly, absent. I have withdrawn donations to several charities that I used to support for that very reason.

It is emotional blackmail and as reprehensible as the "chuggers" who used to accost me in London and make me feel guilty because I was not "saving the world" by taking out a direct debit for their charity. The legitimate answer to any request is "No" and were it to be challenged I would ask how much Tesco is donating from its excessive profits.

No you are not being unreasonable, you should be able to grocery shop without being pestered. I think we are all suffering from charity fatigue and they will lose out if they persist in asking. Charities are not run by volunteers, how much of the money goes out in administration ? Big supermarkets make massive profits, if they channel at least a percentage to a charity they could leave their customers to give in their own way.

I would just say what i say to the chuggers - I have charities which I have chosen to support and prefer to give any donations to them. I usually find the chuggers are happy with that and don't push. you should never feel pressured to donate to any charity.

I shop at Tesco, amongst others. I have not been asked this question but I would simply say no thanks. I sure as heck would not feel guilty. I bet the checkout operator hates asking you and he/she probably feels just as bad.

I too am a little surprised Tesco have gone along with this as a concept!

I do shop in Tesco now and then and recently there have been poeple down at the bottom of the escaltors, (wildlife, childrens charities etc) they don't collect donations they want you to sign up for DD.

and you don't get to gift aid that kind of donation if you are a taxpayer.

Its called emotional blackmail. I just say 'No thank you' and other people can think what they like

I stopped shopping in Tesco a long time ago due to poor customer service at our local store. Their offers were misleading and when price tickets were missing on goods their stock answer was "It should have the price on it" in other words put your specks on you old bat because I can't be bothered looking.

I don't like this method of fundraising so I wouldn't feel guilty about saying NO.

Also..whilst we are on the subject...I normaly shop as Asda and they too seem to have spasms..of charity collections (boy scouts, animal welfare, etc etc ) they are stood at the end with a bucket and ready to assist you in packing your bags for you, I feel that's intimidating as well.