By Jim Tebbett, Head of Proactive Regulation and Projects at the Fundraising Regulator
Retailers play a vital role in supporting charitable causes. Whether it’s by hosting fundraising events, partnering with charities, or providing space for in-store collections, their contributions add real value and visibility to the sector.
One effective and well-established form of support is through cash collections in stores. These collections offer donors an easy and familiar way to give, and help fundraisers raise awareness and funds for their cause. Making sure this activity is carried out to high standards is important for everyone involved – including the charities, the fundraisers, the donors, and the retailers themselves.
With this in mind, we’ve published new advice for retailers who host charitable cash collections on their premises. While the advice is written for supermarket and retail staff, we know it may also be of interest to charities that work with them.
The advice is intended to help retailers understand how they can support safe, secure and responsible fundraising when collections happen on their premises.
What the advice covers
The advice includes practical steps for retail colleagues to take before, during and after a charitable cash collection. This includes:
- Carrying out basic checks to confirm the legitimacy of the organisation requesting to collect.
- Establishing a clear booking process, including contact details and confirmation of collection arrangements.
- Appointing a named store contact to oversee collections and be available on the day.
- Ensuring the secure handling of donations, with recommended approaches to transferring funds to good causes.
- Raising concerns where necessary, with signposts to the right points of contact both inside and outside the organisation.
By putting these steps in place, retailers can help prevent fraud and create the conditions for successful and trustworthy fundraising. The advice also encourages a consistent approach across store networks, helping to make sure that standards are maintained regardless of location or size.
Why this matters
In developing this advice, we’ve worked closely with supermarkets and retail representatives, many of whom expressed a desire for greater clarity and reassurance in this area. The advice reflects what we’ve heard – that while most collections are carried out in good faith, a small number can raise concerns or cause confusion.
Retail colleagues are often the first point of contact when issues arise, and we want them to feel supported and informed. Clear processes can reduce risks like fraud or unauthorised collections, and help retailers to continue welcoming fundraisers into their stores with confidence.
For charity partners
For charities working in partnership with supermarkets or fundraising in-store, this advice is also a useful reference. It offers insight into what retailers may expect when collections take place, and how your own standards and processes can align to build trust and efficiency.
Ultimately, it’s in everyone’s interest that charitable collections are well-managed and carried out to a high standard. This supports a positive experience for donors and helps maintain public confidence in the good causes they choose to support.
You can read the full advice here.
We’ll continue to work with both retailers and the charity sector to support safe and effective fundraising – and to make sure that opportunities like in-store collections remain a valuable part of the fundraising landscape into the future.