Consumer research shows growing support for ‘Pennies’

An online survey of more than 1,100 adults across the UK shows growing support from consumers

An online survey of more than 1,100 adults across the UK shows growing support from consumers to give their electronic loose change to charity when paying for goods using plastic.

Despite the economic climate, 57 per cent of adults said they’d give their change to charity when making a payment with a debit or credit card. This is up on the 52 percent who said ‘yes’ in August 2008. There is also evidence that the giving ethic is strengthening with 25 per cent saying that they would give to charitiy most or all of the time, compared to 18 per cent in August 2008.

This way of giving was popular across all those surveyed, but particularly well received by younger adults (25-34 year olds) where 68% said that they would give in this way.

Almost seven in ten of those surveyed were attracted by the fact that this method of giving did not require them to make a commitment and involved giving pennies not pounds, 59 percent liked the idea that it was ‘spur of the moment’ and half of those surveyed liked the idea that it was quick and private.

More than half (54%) said that they were more likley to give their support if the proposition was focused primarily on UK charities, 5 per cent preferred a primary focus on overseas causes and 41 per cent said that they would not mind one way or another.

It seems clear from the survey results that a good percentage of consumers feel more warmly about a retailer that they feel is supporting charities with 34 percent saying that they’d feel more positive about visiting a store that supports local good causes and 14 percent saying that they’d be actively encouraged to shop there.

Commenting on the results, Chief Executive of The Pennies Foundation, Alison Hutchinson said. “We’d quite rightly been challenged about how consumers felt about giving their electronic change, given the difficult economic conditions right now. It was a huge boost to see that support had not only been maintained but grown since our first survey back in the summer of 2008. The time feels right to give people the chance to give pennies electronically, pennies that when added together could make a very positive contribution to charities and peoples’ lives.”

Survey carried out in November 2009 amongst 1,108 adults across the UK. Survey undertaken by Markettiers4DC through their Opinion Matters survey.