“Would you like to round up the value of your purchases to the nearest euro, to support a charity?” Recently many shoppers have had to respond yes or no to this question at the till, in aid of Ukrainians, victims of the earthquake in Eastern Turkey/Syria, or for the “Small Change” (Pièces Jaunes) campaign for children in hospital.
The sums – a few euro-cents when you’re at the till – may seem derisory. However the act of microdonation (or rounding up your bill, or gifts to ‘check-out charities’, as they’re called in the English-speaking world) is becoming increasingly common among retail brands who see it as a way to boost their reputation. This form of giving has enabled more than €50 million to be collected in France since 2010.
