Unwanted Christmas post.

I always just bin unwanted mail even if it contains cards or pens or whatever. If you return to sender you are just confirming that it has been received and seen.
My DD lives a mile or two from felice and the postal service leaves a lot to be desired, her birthday cards had been opened. This is a common gripe in the commune news. Sorry bit off piste.

An e-mail (as suggested by some) is not as powerful as the original item being returned in the post as I advised. Follow that advice and in one easy step you will never hear from them again.

My late mother used to carefully open the outer envelope, cut up the contents into several little pieces except for the reply paid envelope if enclosed. She then resealed the outer envelope with all the little pieces inside and taped the reply paid address to the outside. If no reply paid envelope she would write the address but never stamp it so presumably they would have to pay at their end.
I don't know if it ever really had any effect but it did give her a sense of satisfaction!
The amount of junk mail these days is getting ridiculous but as a previous poster said - they must gain from it?

These letters annoy me above a bit. Presumably they get enough donations that way to make it worthwhile but I just see it as a waste of time and resources.

I never let my conscience force me to send a donation and for that reason I refuse to use what they've sent. Moreover they've usually got at least part of my title or address wrong on the labels so I wouldn't use them anyway.

This year I'm sending them all back. Probably I'll get the same ones and more next year, though.

I usually try to find a contact e-mail to tell them what to do with thier stuff.

Well, however it happened, I share your annoyance, Felice. I bin all 'To the Occupier' charity letters and only give cash donations so I can't be traced back. It's sad that it's come to that.

Just email them, quoting any reference numbers etc off the address panel, and demand that 1) you are removed from their mailing list and 2) that your details are not passed on to any other organisation.

If they don't comply, they will be in breach of data protection legislations and could face serious penalty charges.

I usually add a note to the effect that I never, ever do business with or support any organisation which sends me unsolicited mail - because I really don't.

PS. Are you prepared to name the charity, Felice? If it's who I suspect, I shan't be supporting them again because what you describe is an abominable waste of donated funds and other resources.

No Sue and doubtful as I am sure the Commune here would not likely to be selling to the UK anyway, the exchange rate alone for say a £10 donation plus bank charges would be ridiculous.
DD lives upstairs and has never had anything either.

Yes, I understand you live abroad, Felice, I'm just pondering whether your local councils have begun selling lists like U.K. Councils do. Have any of your neighbours had similar letters? That might be an interesting question to ask.

I usually send them back saying " unwanted junk mail" There are so may registered charities asking us for support/donations we just can't be there for all of them. Most people who give to charities will have their chosen ones and it is best to stick to these if you can.

Sue I live in Belgium as I mentioned in another post(Flanders) as I vote here and have never in 25 years had any unwanted mail like this.
I will give it to the little ones in Church on Sunday.

Write on the envelope 'Return to sender for removal from mailing list' and pop in the post. If no return address on the envelope then open it, find the address, cut it out and tape onto the envelope before sealing it again.
This works for any unwanted mail, you never hear from them again.

I'd send them back. They'll have to pay the postage, which might make them think again about sending unsolicited mail, but you can donate to a local charity if you feel guilty.

I agree that someone, somewhere has sold your details to them. I don't know about where you live but in the UK councils will sell lists of their electoral rolls. You can have your name redacted on those rolls, which is what we choose to do.

DD now steaming as it seems only the envelopes are even re-cyclable, and Flanders can recycle most things.
Going out as getting really grumpy now

Charities perhaps need nudging to find less wasteful and environmentally-damaging ways of getting our attention/donations.

Yes, some of what they send out can be recycled, but that does nothing whatsoever to offset the pollution/energy use involved in its actual production and its distribution,or in the recycling process itself!
And let's face it, most people probably still put the whole package in their landfill bin anyway.

I'm not an eco warrior by any stretch of the imagination, but these things are starting to bug me!

DD here now, just had another look in the envelope and there is also a gift bag and sheet of wrapping paper.
She buys online all the time both here in mainland Europe and from the US for work. She has never had anything from the UK, and we have different surnames so no connection there.
Weird if anything else arrives I will get a friend to check in the UK to check where they got my address.

your name and adress comes from third parties. so anyone can get your name and address. i always tick the box that says no third parties.. you can always send it back to them ..they have to pay the return postage .they wont send again.or you could go online and get your name removed from some lists. you will get less unwanted mail.i done it for my aunt and cousin got their names and addresses removed.

They probably allow for non-purchasers. They wouldn't do it if it didn't pay off.

Gonegirl, rather deliver a few tins of cat food to the local Cat charity here, no way am I sending a donation to the UK? Next year how many others would I get?????!!!

Just bin it then.

How, as I said I do not and have never bought online and if I did it would not be in the UK, you are not asked in shops here for email addresses etc.
I have no intention of contacting them for the very reason you gave.
Why would a shop here sell a list to the UK anyway.

The poor little moggies need looking after.

I agree felice it is a waste of what are probably limited resources. The cost would have been better used helping cats that are in need.

I usually cut the Xmas cards up and make gift tags out of them. You can always make a small donation to the charity if you feel like it, just to cover costs.

Probably some business you bought from sold on their list of customers.

I experienced this when DMil died. 10 years later we were still getting junk mail for her from one company. I wrote and complained, but it did no good, it was too difficult to go through the list and remove one name and address.