Is Safeway Building Negative Buzz with Charity Support Requests?

Recently, every time that I shop at Safeway, the checker has asked whether I would like to add a dollar to my grocery bill to contribute to a specific charity like the Prostate Cancer Foundation or Easter Seals. These requests have always irked me because they make me feel like a heel when I say "no" in front of the clerk and other people waiting in line. I'm a big believer in charitable giving; however, I prefer to contribute directly to causes I believe in so I can be assured that my money is going directly to them and I can get a tax deduction.

With prices on all food items zooming, Safeway's fundraising efforts are bound to irk customers struggling to make ends meet who might like to support worthy causes but quite simply are struggling to feed their own families. In fact, a recent article in The Oregonian indicates that Safeway's insistent fundraising is generating negative buzz. I'm guessing that Safeway's current methodology of soliciting customer support of charities will dissipate as economic times grow tougher.

Comments

[jason]

You should never feel like a heel for saying no to a donation. Your point about individuals looking to support their families is well made, but in no way should people see Safeway's method for fundraising as a negative.

Think about if 2000 Safeway shoppers who can spare $1.00 say yes. The return is a child living with a physical disability could experience accessible summer camp, where they learn job skills and methods to live outgoing active lifestyles which in turn prepare them and propel them into the work force which in our country (Canada) means that the disabled population is at an all time unemployment low.

http://working.canada.com/resources/story.html?id=3e18a04b-813a-41de-a086-048007f8199a

So to those who can't throw the $1 on, thats totally cool, but to those who can, youre actually giving a lot more than you'd think.

[Patrick Galvin]

Jason,

Your example of how many small contributions add up to a large donation is a point well taken and I appreciate your taking time to post this on my blog.

That said, since I wrote the above post,I've received a few emails agreeing that Safeway is going over the line with its solicitation of funds. One reader even told me that checkers at his local Safeway go on the intercom every time somebody makes a generous contribution.

It's great that Safeway wants to help the communities in which they have stores, however, constant hectoring of customers to donate will surely drive many customers away. Why can't Safeway just donate to its preferred causes discretely? Could it be that their solicitation of donations is a misguided effort to instill admiration in their shoppers?

Best,
Patrick

[Jan]

While I understand that Safeway's heart may be in the right place, I agree that this method of collection is inappropriate. I am one of the many people who is having trouble making ends meet these days. I have to make a concerted effort to buy the cheapest brands and only the necessities to stretch my family's food budget. This said, I feel guilted into "rounding up" the dollar amount when the clerk loudly asks me in front of a line of customers. Recently however, I went back into the store the same day for a small purchase for something I forgot($3.02 total) and was asked again to round up to $4. I politely declined for the first time. The checker actually gave me a dirty look and gruffly handed me my purchase without saying thank you! Being bullied into "giving" is going to make me take my business elsewhere.

[Jan]

I was wondering if the employees were being "incentivized" to ask and apparently they are: http://sfist.com/2007/08/26/safeway_sends_w.php
and this follow up:
http://sfist.com/2007/10/02/update_safeway.php

[janet]

I am on a committee trying to raise funds for a local dog park. The community I live in has a population of 4,000. What I am wondering about: Does Safeway Inc. help local causes, and if not, why not? I would like to see Safeway raise money locally, for my cause. What is your opinion?

[Patrick Galvin]

Jan, your description of why Safeway's constant appeal for donated funds irks you really resonated with me. Also, thanks for sending the link to the blog which talks about employees being "incentivized" to seek donations - very enlightening and poor judgement on the part of Safeway.

Janet, as far as I know, Safeway only works with a handful of national charities so your local dog park would be a tough pitch but you can always speak to the manger of your local store and see whether the store might like to to make a special donation. As a dog owner myself, I can sympathize with your cause.

[Tanya Barham]

I had a woman come to one of my programs one night and tell me a horror story very similar to yours. A man stood in front of her in line. This man was very clearly homeless or seriously down on his luck. He was buying something to eat - a banana and a peach and was going to have to pay with change.

The teenage checker mindlessly asked him if he wanted to donate his $.70 to some charity or another and the woman who stood behind him said she felt uncomfortable for him and embarrassed for the checker. It was clear this man was homeless and there was a good chance he might not know where his next $2 would come. Of course he said no.

The woman who told me this story said she thought the whole transaction was awful and wished the girl has used better judgment before creating a situation where this man was set up to look like a total jerk.

[james]

as a safeway employee I'm constantly being harrassed into asking for donations, safeways management spends the day tracking all the employees money donated, ignoring the basic operating needs of the store. its really a joke and you can't tell me safeway isn't making money off the deal. why else would they make it more important than selling somebody dinner?....the real reason they are open.

[Safeway Clerk]

Charity implies volunteering and charities are a personal matter.

Safeway has no business forcing its' employees to panhandle customers for spare change (or else...)

Please list any other companies that engage in this unethical conduct of quota driven mandatory charity participation.

Safeway had a rich history of charity participation when they simply asked for volunteers.

They think that if they can raise more money they will improve their image and their bottom line. But they never received bad press before and they refuse to even post a thankyou note complete with results where their customers (donors) can read it.

Please return to volunteer based participation Safeway.

[Martin]

I refuse to be bullied into donating to charity. I also refuse to be rudely treated for saying no. Therefore, I no longer shop at Safeway.

[John]

I'm done with Safeway. I choose the charities I want to support, I give all I feel I can afford, and I do it privately with no fuss. I do not appreciate being solicited at my front door or at the checkout stand.

Thanks for writing about this.

[Kat]

Clearly, I am not the only one who is fed up with Safeway's incessant "donation" solicitation. I Googled "safeway donation" to see if I was the only one feeling this way. Over the last 6 months, each time I go into Safeway, I am asked at minimum 3 times for donations - at the front door, by an employee with juice or cookies as an "enticement", at the checkstand, and then, when I use my credit/debit card to pay for my groceries. The donation drives at my local store are continuous, not just a few times a year. While I have no problem with charitable giving - I give to several charities including Goodwill and our local food bank regularly - I do have an issue with the way that Safeway is handling their solicitation. It is aggressive and offensive. Unfortunately Safeway is the closest store to my house, and although I routinely shop at other stores for this and other specific reasons (cost being one), sometimes I end up at Safeway out of convenience. No more! Thanks for your article.

[Patrick Galvin]

It's interesting that my post about Safeway from last year continues to be one of the most visited ones on this blog. I wonder whether Safeway's marketing folks are aware of the negative buzz that the company's fundraising efforts generate. I'm surprised that nobody from Safeway's corporate communications department or PR firm has addressed the complaints here. With the holiday season approaching and many Americans suffering from reduced financial resources, I wonder whether Safeway will scale back its in-store fund raising efforts.

[R]

What is Safeway's main push to collect donations. Is it to create an atmosphere of good will? or is it a tool for a huge tax deduction for them? I like many are irked that the employees are forced to ask every costumer. Like many on this thread I am a very generous person but like to donate when, where, and how I want to.

[Richard]

I work at Safeway in San Francisco and have been called into my assistant manager's office many times this month to be harassed about not meeting Donation Quotas.

Yesterday I collected many donations and made announcements while our District Manager was in the Store. I am aware of the disturbed looks on Customer's faces as I ask them day after day for Donations. Yesterday my Assistant Manager told me one customer told her that I did NOT ask for a Donation.

I was called back to her office and when I asked that I have Union Representation, my Right, I was told to punch out and go home and was SUSPENDED FOR INSUBORDINATION.
This should be illegal!

[Randy]

A jar of pumpkin pie spice sells for $6.50 at Safeway, but just $1.99 at Trader Joe's. Plus, every visit to Safeway is like an excursion to Tijuana. No, thank you. I don't want to buy your cold $5 pizza. It's hard for me to believe this business model works anymore: Sell staples and fast-food trash below cost and RAPE the consumer on everything else.