There are the promises: Cooking for the cure, shopping for the cure, golfing for the cure and gardening for the cure.
Thousands of products are on Canadian store shelves bearing a pink ribbon and the lure of supporting breast cancer-related charities with a buying spree.
However, if you want to donate to breast cancer causes, Queen's University professor Samantha King has one piece of advice: Write a cheque directly to a charity you've investigated and forget about buying the flood of "pink products" on the marketplace.
As a recent investigation by the Winnipeg Free Press discovered, it's often tricky for consumers to figure out how much of the purchase price of a pink product goes to charity.
King said she questions even the basic concept that buying pink products will help end breast cancer.
"I think as a society we need to question the idea that shopping is an appropriate way to respond to social problems, medical problems...how effective it is," said King, a kinesiology and health studies professor at Queen's University, who made a national splash in 2006 with her controversial book, Pink Ribbons Inc.: Breast Cancer and the Politics of Philanthropy.
Of about $89 worth of pink products purchased recently in local Winnipeg stores, only about $8.60 was determined to be donated to breast cancer charities directly thanks to the purchase.
One company contacted by the reporter last week would not specify what percentage of each pink product sold goes to charity or the overall amount donated -- even though the item bore a logo licenced by the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation (CBCF).
"After talking to those in charge of the product line I am sorry to say that we will not be participating in the article," said Kevin McTigue, Fujifilm spokesman, of a pink disposable camera with the tagline, Picture the Cure.
A pink kitchen utensil pointed the consumer to a 1-800 number for information about the company's products, but after an eight-minute hold an operator had no idea what amount was going to charity.
She offered to call back with the information later.
Mark Hierlihy, director of development of the CBCF, said the foundation is working to be as transparent as possible about the agreements it strikes with outside companies for products that promote breast cancer awareness and use the CBCF's logo.
"Transparency has become increasingly important to us, and we've encouraged our partners to talk about the total contribution of their partnerships," he said.
However, agreements between CBCF and companies dictating financial information they must disclose about charitable details of purchases are not necessarily available to the public.
The CBCF says a minimum donation of $50,000 -- or a contribution that's equivalent to about 10 per cent of each pink product sold -- is expected for an agreement with an outside company to market a pink product nationally.
But these guidelines aren't mandatory.
"What we can say are the two minimums are respected...we encourage (companies) to be transparent. If they are, we reward that and brag about that partnership. If they don't specifically say, it's kind of up to them. But what we can confirm is that the contributions are major. We don't disclose specific agreements between the companies, but we can tell you as an accountable charity, it fits within our guidelines," said Hierlihy.
He said the CBCF also looks at whether the product promotes breast cancer awareness and in-kind donations the company may provide for the CBCF to use in its operations.
Since 2002, San Francisco advocacy organization Breast Cancer Action has waged a consumer awareness campaign called Think Before You Pink to urge companies to be transparent when marketing pink products.
Pauli Ojea, a campaign organizer for Breast Cancer Action, said some companies cap the amount of donation to the charity identified on its packaging without disclosing that cap exists. That means once a company raises a particular amount through the sale of pink products, it's not necessarily clear what happens to the proceeds of pink products still on the shelves -- even though consumers might still be buying them with the notion they're supporting charity.
"The point of the campaign is to get people to decide for themselves: 'What do I think is enough money (for charity)?'," said Ojea, part of Breast Cancer Action's 10-person office. "The point of the campaign is that you should be able to find out the answer to that question...we want to make sure if someone is purchasing a product that it's doing as much good for women who are living with or at risk of breast cancer as it is for the company's bottom line."
Breast cancer is a safe way of connecting with women, says King, and many campaigns shift the image of breast cancer as a terrifying, life-threatening experience to campaigns that focus on survivorship and optimism.
"I haven't come across any marketers who are ill-intentioned...who are doing this as a quick way to make some money," she said, citing the rising number of breast cancer cases in Canada. "But I think so many companies jumping onto the breast cancer bandwagon in partnership with large cancer foundations is giving the sense to people they're making a huge difference in the battle against the disease, when in fact, they're not."
Imagine Canada, the umbrella group that speaks for Canadian charities, has a section of its newly revised ethical code which states charities involved in cause-related marketing with a third party should "disclose how the charity benefits from the sale of products or services and the minimum or maximum amounts payable under the arrangement."
In cases where no minimum amount is specified, the code says the charity should disclose that information.
Diane Gordon, HBC's director of community investment, said transparency by companies about the charitable proceeds of pink products they carry is crucial. HBC -- which runs The Bay, Home Outfitters and Zellers -- has no cap on the overall amount collected for breast cancer causes from the approximately 150 pink products carried last year in HBC stores across Canada.
Last year, she said HBC raised about $720,000 for the CBCF.
"We want to be transparent with every item that we're selling, and how much of each item goes back to support breast cancer, so anytime we promote the product...we make sure we indicate how much is going to the foundation," said Gordon. "It's important to us because our consumers expect it. They want to know how much of their money they're spending, if they're buying an item that's a $15 item, they want to know how much is going to be transmitted to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation."
Of its own line of HBC signature products that bear the breast cancer ribbon, Gordon said no less than 10 per cent of the purchase must go to the CBCF.
"You have to be careful. When you have to worry is when it's not revealed," said Gordon. "At the end of the day if someone's purchasing an item, and they believe their money is going to breast cancer, that's exactly what we want to have happen."
gabrielle.giroday@freepress.mb.ca
SHOPPING FOR A CURE?
THAT'S UNSURE.
Picture a Cure
27-exposure disposable camera,
by Fujifilm
It costs: $12.99
It goes to: Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation
Amount to the charity: Fujifilm refuses to disclose
Caps donation? Fujifilm refuses to disclose
Pink gardening gloves with PVC dots
one of about 15 products sold by Midwest Gloves and Gear
It costs: $3.99
It goes to: Canadian Cancer Society, for breast cancer research
Amount to the charity: about $0.20 per sale (about 5 per cent) to support cancer research, but not specfic to breast cancer research
No minimum donation, but so far has raised $50,000
Caps donation? No
Think pink car flag
at Zellers
It costs: $14.99
It goes to: Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation
Amount to the charity: HBC could not specify, but at least $1.50 (10 per cent or more)
HBC guarantees a minimum donation of xx for xx pink products sold in xx
Caps donation? No
Think pink pearl
necklace
with pink ribbon clasp, at Zellers
It costs: $14.97
It goes to: Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation
Amount to the charity: about $1.50 (10 per cent)
HBC guarantees a minimum donation of xx for xx pink products sold in xx
Caps donation? No
Energizer "Inspired to Keep Going"
8-pack of AA batteries
It costs: $9.49
It goes to: Canadian Cancer Society
Amount to the charity: Energizer donated $40,000 last October to the CCS for breast cancer research
The company shipped 250,000 pink products the same month
Caps donation? No, the donation is fixed
Kitchen Aid
'Cook for the Cure'
pink measuring cup and spoons set
It costs: $14.97
It goes to: Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation
Minimum raised: No minimum specified, but company said volume of products sold is large
Amount to the charity: $1.55 (10 per cent)
Caps donation? No
Post-It Pink Ribbon flag pen
and highlighter, by 3M
It costs: $2.59
It goes to: Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation
Amount to the charity: Package says $0.50 goes to charity (19 per cent)
3M guarantees a minimum donation of xx for xx products sold in xx
Caps donation? No
Lean Cuisine chicken parmigiana
with pink ribbon, by Nestle
It costs: $4.19
It goes to: Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation
Amount to the charity: $0.10 per package (2 per cent)
Minimum raised: Has committed to $50,000 support
Caps donation? Yes, maximum of $50,000
Pink stationary-to-go,
by 3M
It costs: $5.19
It goes to: Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation
Amount to the charity: Package says $1.25 goes to charity (24 per cent)
3M guarantees a minimum donation but won't say what it is.
Caps donation? No
Think pink ribbon pin
at Zellers
It costs: $2.00
It goes to: Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation
Amount to the charity: $2.00 (100 per cent)
HBC guarantees a minimum donation of xx for xx pink products sold in xx
Caps donation? No
Oasis 'Oasis of Hope' Cranberry Juice,
by Lassonde
It costs: $4.00
It goes to: Quebec Foundation, for breast cancer research
Amount to the charity: Oasis donated $50,000 last year for breast cancer research
The company does not disclose the amount produced of their three special pink-ribboned juice lines.
Caps donation? Does not disclose
Notes: Prices listed before taxes.
Sources: Fujifilm, Midwest Gloves and Gear, HBC, Lassonde, Energizer, Kitchen Aid, Nestle, 3M
PINK RIBBON
PRODUCTS:
A
GLOSSARY
OF TERMS
Pink
products:
Products where a portion of what the consumer pays goes to support breast cancer-related causes.
Cause
marketing:
Marketing that involves a non-profit organization and a business to fundraise and promote awareness of a social or charitable issue.
Pink-washing:
An unflattering term coined by activists for pink products by companies that say they're helping fight breast cancer but are linked to practices that contribute to factors researchers say cause rising rates of the disease.
Capping:
Critics say some products' proceeds contribute to breast cancer causes but only to a certain point, when they hit a cap. Charities should disclose to consumers if they have a cap on the amount they'll donate, preferably labelled on the product itself.
PREVIOUS
