# 30% of charity mail unopened, says Marketing magazine

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2006/10/12/30-charity-mail-unopened-says-marketing-magazine/
- Published: 2006-10-12T23:00:00+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

A survey of 10,000 consumers by Nielsen Media Research for Marketing magazine has
found that charity direct mail is one of the most likely types of direct mail to
be thrown away without being opened.
Overall, the consumers said they threw away
22% of all direct mail sent to them in the year to June 2006.

Only direct mail sent by drinks companies and gardening and agriculture organisations
was more likely than charities’ direct mail to be thrown away unopened.

This represents 150 million items of charity mail being thrown away unopened, “at
a cost of £64 million”.

## Advertisement

The poor open rate matters not just because of public perception but also because
direct mail accounts for over 70% of charities’ marketing budgets, according to 
the research.

According to the research Cancer Research UK was the largest charity to use direct
mail, distributing 18 million items in the year. It was ranked number 30 in terms
of volume, just behind NatWest, Littlewoods, and Unilever.

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