Schnucks bans all solicitation at stores

No longer will the Salvation Army or any other fundraising groups be allowed to stand outside the store to sell items or collect donations.
No longer will the Salvation Army or any other fundraising groups be allowed to stand outside the store to sell items or collect donations.

Girl Scouts hawking cookies or Salvation Army bell ringers seeking donations are no longer allowed on Schnucks grocery store properties.

A new policy announced this week bans all solicitors.

For years, area nonprofit organizations have made a regular practice of selling or soliciting donations near store entrances.

"Schnucks has always been and always will be committed to community service and supporting organizations, entities and individuals in their community activities," Schnucks spokesman Paul Simon said. "However, our primary obligation is servicing our customers by providing the most pleasant and convenient shopping environment. Because of this, we have decided to end the solicitation of our customers or distribution of written or other materials at our stores."

Groups that regularly set up shop at area Schnucks stores are being notified this week.

"We appreciate our community partners who have let us set our booths at their businesses," said Lori Enyart, spokesman for Girl Scouts of the Missouri Heartland which represents Girl Scout groups in the Jefferson City area. "We will continue to work to find places for our girls to set up booths when we start our campaign in January."

Simon said Schnucks will continue to offer all not-for-profit organizations an equal opportunity to raise funds for a variety of purposes through the "My Schnucks Card" (eScrip) program (escrip.com/merchants/identity/schnucks/index.jsp).

"This program is true community relations because these funds will come from Schnucks and will be determined by our customers in their selection of the groups they choose to designate as their beneficiaries," Simon said. "Since 2010, Schnucks has given an average of more than $1.8 million per year to not-for-profit organizations through this program."

"We will also be exploring new and different ways to partner with community groups," Simon added.