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Charity Christmas Cards: How Much Do Charities Actually Receive?
02
Oct
Oct
As the festive season approaches, many of us look for meaningful ways to give back and one popular option is buying charity Christmas cards. But how much of your money actually reaches the charity?
The Reality Behind Many “Charity” Christmas Cards in the UK
The UK is the world’s biggest per capita consumer of greeting cards, a market worth £1.53 million. Charity Christmas cards have always been a big part of the UK’s culture of ‘giving at Christmas’, but the amount of money donated to charity from these cards can vary dramatically.
When you buy a charity card from a large commercial retailer, they are legally required to state the donation amount on the packaging. This could be a small, fixed percentage or in some cases, a retailer might even commit to a fixed lump sum donation to a charity regardless of how many cards are sold. While this can result in a large, headline-grabbing number, it means your specific purchase might not be contributing to the donation at all.
This isn’t to say these retailers don’t do good work, and every donation to charity does make a difference. However, for a consumer who wants to maximise their charitable impact, below will help you in making the choice of where to spend your £’s.
Charity-branded Christmas cards are a staple in many UK high street shops and supermarkets during the festive period. While the packaging often features a well-known charity logo and festive messaging, the small print tells a different story.
Here’s what typically happens:
- A tiny portion of the sale, sometimes as low as 1p per card or 5p per pack, goes to charity.
- Some supermarkets make a fixed donation, regardless of how many packs are sold so your purchase might not affect how much is given to charity.
- In some cases, the donation is a fixed amount split between multiple charities.
- The majority of the sale price is retained by the retailer or the card manufacturer.
This can leave many well-meaning shoppers believing their purchase is doing more than it actually is.
Our Model: Giving Back with Real Impact
As a not-for-profit organisation, our mission is fundamentally different from a commercial retailer. Our entire purpose is to raise money for charities, and also the communities you live in. We’re a charity ourselves, and our business model is built around giving back nationally and locally and creating a place where communities can work together to combat social exclusion and loneliness.
As a UK-based not-for-profit retailer, we believe in doing things differently and more transparently.
Here’s how our charity Christmas card programme works:
- We give 10% of every net card sale directly to the charity it was designed for.
- This is a pure donation, with no hidden costs to the charity. The money that goes to our charity partners is real and unrestricted.
- Our not-for-profit will meet all other retail costs, for example the design of cards, printing, packaging, logistics, shop wages and rent, marketing and postage.
- Our charity partners pay nothing to take part – no fees, no commissions, and no risk.
- We are located in community spaces, who also benefit from every card sale. Libraries and Churches where funding are limited, directly benefit from all card and gift sales.
- We support over 80 charities, some of which do not have the resources to issue their own Christmas cards, and through our shops are able to reach more people with their mission and causes.
This means every card you buy from us carries a guaranteed charitable impact.
We operate all year round as a not-for-profit organisation. Our range of everyday cards, gifts and wrap helps to cover our costs so that we can give as much as we possibly can back to our charities. We are working hard to expand our year-round offering in the hope that in the future we can give even more back.
Our cards also help support local charities and community spaces through our network of pop-up shops. Places like churches, libraries, museums and other community buildings. So, by shopping locally, customers are helping to support these venues too.
Why All This Matters
For charities, especially smaller UK-based ones, every penny counts — and the festive season is a crucial time for fundraising. But when traditional retail models offer only token donations, the impact on those charities is limited.
By choosing to shop with us, you ensure:
- Transparency – You know how much goes where.
- Integrity – We exist to support causes, not shareholders.
- Impact – The 10% charities receive from us can be used directly to support their vital work, without any strings attached.
This money helps:
- Fund groundbreaking medical research for charities like the British Heart Foundation and Cancer Research UK.
- Provide vital support for vulnerable people through organisations like Trussell and Samaritans.
- Protect animals, support children, and preserve our environment.
Your purchase, no matter how small, is a powerful act of kindness that directly helps these charities continue their life-changing work.
A Better Way to Give This Christmas
When you shop for your charity Christmas cards this year, take a moment to read the fine print. Ask yourself:
- How much is actually reaching the charity?
- Is the charity paying anything to be featured?
- Am I supporting a for-profit company or a cause-driven one?
This festive season, we invite you to be a more informed and impactful shopper. By choosing Cards for Good Causes, you’re not just sending a card, you’re sending a lifeline.
