Have you received a leaflet through your door recently asking you to fill a bag with clothing for collection? If you responded did you believe you would be donating to a charity? Has someone tried to sell you a newsletter or magazine you believed would be helping a charity?
South Ayrshire Trading Standards have been probing deeper into such issues after receiving complaints from a number of residents who alleged that leaflets they had received gave an impression that they were for a charity collection. On closer inspection, it turns out that the door-to-door collection company is in fact a business and not a charity.
As a result Trading Standards are this week warning residents to read the small print on leaflets and quiz the sellers of what appears to be charity newsletters and magazines before parting with money or donating their old unwanted items to doorstep collectors in the belief that they are giving them to charity.
A spokesperson for South Ayrshire Trading Standards explained, “This is not a new problem and we have had some success in the past stopping so called charities that turned out to be business ventures. We have discussed the matter with the Scottish Charities Regulators but there is nothing illegal about trading in this manner as long as it made clear that the venture is not a charity. Although a leaflet may state it is not a charity organising the collection, this should be prominent. At present it is not illegal to request donations of second hand items, provided no claim is made of being a charity where in fact they’re not.”
The Association of Charity Shops, which represent over 90% of the charity shops in the UK, have stated that they estimate the figure lost to genuine charities in Scotland to be around £360,000 each year.
Councillor Peter Convery, who is responsible for Trading Standards issues, said, “Many genuine bona fide registered charities use the method of collecting items door to door to generate funds to help the disadvantaged in our society. However, there are commercial companies that also use this method to collect second hand goods. The generous people of South Ayrshire should be mindful to read the leaflets put through their doors and question door-to-door sellers of what appear to be charitable newsletters or magazines to see if their donations are actually for a charity rather than a business.”
Councillor Converey added, “If people are fully aware of this and are happy to donate their items or buy the newsletters and magazines, then that is fine. However, if they specifically wish to help registered charities then I would urge them to scrutinise these door-to door-collection requests. If you are in any doubt about who is making the collection, then you can always make your donation to the local charity shops. If people wish to find out more about who they are donating to, information on the companies making these door to door collections can be readily available on the Internet.”
If anyone suspects that the collection leaflet they receive through their door is misleading, should contact Trading Standards in confidence Mon. – Fri. on 01292 61 64 03 or by visiting the Trading Standards Advice Centre at 5-7 River Terrace, Ayr or the website at www.south-ayrshire.gov.uk/tradingstandards.