If you’ve bought basically anything anywhere lately — from burgers at McDonald’s to biscuits at Petco — you’ve been asked to donate to a charity when you check out.
According to a new survey, it’s working: 53% of Americans have given before they get out, according to research just published by Binghamton University.
The university’s faculty cited industry reports showing that checkout charity campaigns brought in almost $750 million in 2022, with campaigns through PetSmart, Walgreens and eBay being the biggest raisers.
That said, the researchers wanted a better idea of who is doing all that giving.
“The old-school donor profile of a moneyed, educated, older donor doesn’t hold in this setting. It really is young and diverse people who are willing to add a little to the pot,” said Lauren Dula, a Binghamton University assistant professor of public administration.
Those who opt to add to their checkout total for a good cause — whether an outright monetary donation or by opting to round up to the next dollar — say they do so to the tune of about $50 a year.
“Our survey found that women and Black respondents were the top-giving demographics with checkout charity,” Dula explained. “Middle-class individuals under 50 who have not attended college were also more likely to donate.”
The researchers are hoping for more funding themselves to study the giving phenomenon with more recent data.
“The numbers could take a dip when impulse giving isn’t so impulsive anymore, and ‘no thanks’ will become easier to say,” Dula says.
Survey questions, methodology and results have not been verified or endorsed by ABC News or The Walt Disney Company.