Only a third of charity bag items benefit good causes

The British Heart Foundation says most bags received by householders are from businesses, working with charities, which sell items overseas and pay as little as five per cent of proceeds to good causes.

The organisation calculates a significant increase in firms involved in collections has cost its high street shops nearly £500,000 in the region since 2009.

Charity director Mike Lucas said: “It is vital commercial companies act responsibly and be transparent on their charity bags – particularly around how much profit the named charity will actually make from a collection. Although this is a legal way to raise money, companies working for commercial gain are a huge problem for charities with high street shops.”