Contactless charity donations could mean the end of 'chuggers'
Charities play an important role tackling all manner of medical and societal issues, but without donations many would cease to operate. To ensure a steady stream of funding, some send representatives into Britain's high streets to encourage giving, generally annoying people in the process. In a bid to move away from "chuggers" (charity muggers) and collection boxes, Cancer Research UK has looked to contactless payments. In four outlets located in Brighton, Kensington, Guildford and Marylebone, the charity has placed a contactless payment point in store windows, letting people passing donate a fixed fee of £2 by tapping their contactless card against them.
If a person donates, they'll be shown an interactive video detailing how their money will be used. By getting people to stop and donate without pressure, it could also drive footfall into stores and encourage donations right around the clock. The trial will run between January 30th and February 13th, hopefully making other charities take notice, because nobody likes having to go out of their way to avoid a young twentysomething who wants to ambush them in the street.
