Good Read: Seeing Pink? Some breast cancer awareness products give more back

A Good Read from WKYC in Cleavland, Ohio - (http://www.wkyc.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=154215&catid=45)

We're in the heart of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but it's important to read the fine print on your pink purchase: some brands give more to the cause than others.

Stroll down any isle at your neighborhood grocery store -- paper products, dairy, produce, even pet supplies -- items on the shelf are accessorised with pink.

"When you look at the Velveeta box, you see the pink ribbon," Ashley Carson points out.

Ashley and her sister, Tenika Carson, shopped for groceries at Dave's Supermarket. The sisters support breast cancer awareness, and have noticed more and more companies are doing the same.

"I think it's good because not only does it get the customer's attention, it also shows you how many people and different companies are participating in the cause," said Tenika.

While each product raises awareness about the disease that will afflict more than 200,000 women this year alone, not all products do so in the same way.

"It's a very emotional cause, but not every pink product is necessarily bringing dollars to the cause," said Sophie Sureau.

Sureau is the executive director of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Northeast Ohio chapter.

She advises shoppers to look closely at what they're buying.

Some brands are specific about how they support breast cancer awareness.

Yoplait Yogurt, for example, lets shoppers know it will give 10 cents to Komen for every pink lid mailed in; at least a $500,000 gift.

Sureau says Yoplait and General Mills are two of Komen's biggest supporters. She says Komen does not lend its trademark to just any brand: the partnership requires a company pledge of at least $100,000.

Some brands, however, aren't as clear about where the money from a purchase goes.

A bag of Jonny Cat cat litter sports a pink ribbon sticker, but on the back, it says the purchase does not impact the corporate donation, and no charity is named.

A Google search for "Breast Cancer Awareness" pulls up hundreds of product results, from golf club covers to Christmas ornaments to kitchen utensils. Many of the item descriptions specify what kind of donation will be made, but some are pink to simply raise awareness.

"There's no control on how much 'pink noise' there is. We call this the 'pink washing,'" Sureau said.

She says Komen believes there can never be enough pink ribbon awareness, but she does encourage shoppers to be thorough. She says the "good buys" will often name a cause and a donation amount right on the product label.

"Just as we read the labels to see how much fat and sugar are in stuff, we need to be conscious about who it is supporting, what it is supporting," Sureau said.

The Better Business Bureau of Cleveland could not give examples of local organizations that have misleading pink campaigns, but the BBB recommends a few resources to help sift through the pink 'noise.'

CharityNavigator.org provides information on charity giving, and rates a non-profit's community impact.

Susan G. Komen for the Cure, for example, is a four-star rated charity that puts 75 percent of its donations back into the local community, with 25 percent invested in finding a cure.

The Cleveland BBB also has a charity review program that looks closely at the finances of local non-profits, in addition to local for-profits.

The Northern Ohio Breast Cancer Coalition Fund recommends considering products that support the following causes:
Avon Foundation
Susan G. Komen for the Cure
American Cancer Society