# New guidance for door-to-door charity collection bag companies

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2017/03/24/new-guidance-door-door-charity-collection-bag-companies/
- Published: 2017-03-24T08:18:52+00:00
- Author: Melanie May

**New CAP guidance has been issued for door-to-door charity collection bag companies.**

 

The [CAP](https://www.asa.org.uk/) ruling states that all collectors must make it
clear that they are commercial enterprises and that the donations consumers leave
in the bags will not go directly to a charity, but that a proportion of the profits
from the sale of donated goods will do instead.

## Advertisement

 

The guidance:

 

 * Advertisers should communicate their name and company status on both sides of
   the bag
 * If the bag features a charity’s name, it must not be given greater prominence
   than the name of the company undertaking the collection. This means the company
   name must be of equal or greater prominence compared to the charity name
 * The guidance applies to private companies or individuals who act as commercial
   participants in the house-to-house collection of goods, with a proportion of 
   the proceeds given to charity.
 * It does not apply to charity shops (or their agents) collecting goods on behalf
   of the charity to be sold in charity shops. In this case, the charity would hold
   the collection licence and could be the sole name on the bag.

 

The guidance has been issued following a review of potentially misleading advertising
practices by private door-to-door collection companies. It also follows a complaint
received by ASA last year about a charity collection bag. The complainant said the
commercial nature of the bag was not clear.

 

ASA concluded the bag was misleading because there was no mention of the advertiser’s
name or company status on the front of the bag and the charity name and registration
number were given more prominence than the details of the commercial company collecting
the bag,

 

Companies have until **2nd June 2017** to bring their collection bags in line with
the new guidance.

 

Shahriar Coupal, director of the Committees, said:

 

> “No-one should feel duped into thinking they are donating directly to a charity
> if that’s not the case. Appeals to consumers’ generosity can benefit a range of
> good causes but it’s only fair that these companies are truthful and transparent
> about the commercial nature of the service they provide. Our guidance sets out
> clearly how commercial collection companies can stick to the rules which will 
> help build consumer trust and, ultimately, benefit charities.”

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