Schnucks bans solicitors, including organizations like Salvation Army

The foyer of the Schnucks grocery store in Cape Girardeau will be a little quieter during the holidays this year, as bell-ringers and toy drives no longer will be allowed on the premises.

The company recently announced a new policy prohibiting solicitors on its properties.

Paul Simon, senior communication specialist for Schnucks, said the company is committed to community service, but its primary obligation is to provide customers with a pleasant 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,” Simon said in an email.

Simon said Schnucks is contacting various organizations it has hosted to let them know Schnucks no longer will be able to accommodate their events.

A representative for the local branch of the Salvation Army said the organization had not heard about the store’s new policy.

Simon said the store will continue to support the community and its activities through its eScrip program, wherein Schnucks contributes a percentage of purchases made with a “My Schnucks Card” to a not-for-profit organization of the customer’s choice.

The store also will support the community through collection bins “where our customers, if they choose to do so, can donate items to support food banks, back-to-school drives, diaper banks and similar charitable organizations.”

Schnucks is a family-owned company with grocery stores in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Iowa.

The Cape Girardeau store was contacted for comment, but because it was a corporate policy, store manager Jon Townsend said he would defer to Simon for comment.

bbrown@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3630

Pertinent address:

19 S. Kingshighway, Cape Girardeau MO