A new report by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) provides an analysis of UK retailers’ charitable giving in FY2022/23, highlighting the success of industry-wide fundraising efforts.
Retailers across the UK raised £200m for charitable causes through fundraising, with an additional £150m donated directly by the businesses themselves.
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A total of 69m meals and £76m worth of products were donated to charities and organisations supporting those in need.
Colleagues across the industry volunteered 1.7m hours of time supporting retail community programmes and donated £20m through payroll donation schemes.
This is despite economic headwinds and a rise in the cost-of-living, which have seen retailers’ profit margins squeezed and consumers keeping a closer eye on their finances.
The war in Ukraine was a focal point, with 2022 seeing UK retailers donate huge amounts – both cash and emergency goods – to support the Ukrainian people in the aftermath of the Russian invasion. Many retailers also set up fundraising efforts so that customers could offer their support, often matching donations to amplify the impact. Overall, tens of millions of pounds were reportedly donated to this cause.
The BRC points to the importance of micro-donations, which give consumers the option to make a small donation when paying by card or phone, in-store, or at an online checkout.
BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson commented: “Whether fundraising in stores and online, making salary donations, or volunteering time for local projects, retailers are helping their communities in a wealth of ways.”
