UK Public gives to charity every 3 seconds through Pennies

The British public now donates to charity every 3 seconds – through ad hoc giving when paying by card, says Pennies the digital charity box.

Pennies offers customers the chance to round-up or top-up small change – anonymously – in participating retailers, and is a response to changing consumer habits and the phasing out of traditional collection tins.

Alison Hutchinson CBE, CEO of Pennies said: “In the UK we like the chance to easily give a little as part of our everyday lives. And with around a third of us leaving the house with no cash, just cards these days, Pennies makes it possible – and simple – to give our digital small change a big purpose at the touch of a button and because we don’t keep personal data there is a guarantee of no follow up.

“We are thrilled the UK public are getting behind this way of donating. Already someone gives through Pennies somewhere every 3 seconds, and so with more major brands coming on board it provides even more opportunities to join in.”

Since its launch, Pennies has helped raise over £7.5 million for UK charities, with consumers donating in-store, online and in apps over 32 million times in the last 5 and a half years.

Pennies announced this week that Dixons Carphone, Boots Opticians and Virgin Holidays are joining the roster of household brands already backing the feel-good giving movement.

Retailers such as Domino’s Pizza, Topps Tiles, Screwfix, Rontec and The Entertainer already use Pennies to raise money for charities that are meaningful to their customers – making their pennies count for hundreds of good causes.

Katie Bickerstaffe, UK & Ireland Chief Executive, Dixons Carphone said: “Dixons Carphone is a digital business, embracing fast-moving technology to support lifestyles and enhance lives. Pennies is a natural fit for us, enabling us to raise funds digitally through our customers for our charity partner, The Mix, which is the UK’s largest multi-channel youth service, supporting the physical and mental wellbeing of young people under 25, whatever their issue, through the technology of their choice.”

Pennies estimates that if all of the UK’s card holders donated just 30p a month, over £175million a year could be raised for the UK charity sector.

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Notes to Editors
For more information, please contact Rob Dyson, Head of Marketing and Communications at Pennies.

About Pennies
Pennies is the digital upgrade of the traditional charity box, enabling customers to donate a few pence to charity at the point of sale when paying by card; whether in-store, online or in-app.
Current members of the Pennies family include Domino’s Pizza, Topps Tiles, The Entertainer, Screwfix, Notcutts and The Fragrance Shop; as well as a growing number of partners in the service industry including Rontec petrol forecourt convenience stores.
Pennies’ micro-donations are data-free, quick, and a choice every time. The retailer chooses the charity that its customers can support. No data is collected, and there is no follow up; it really is about dropping a few pence in a charity box – but via a debit or credit card.