If you pay the donation you get the tax write-off, regardless of whether you donate through a grocery store, directly through the charity, or through your paycheck. It’s on your receipt and you can claim it. The store cannot legally claim the tax write-off that you made because it is not income for them, they are simply holding the money.
Now in this case where they are donating a portion of the sales, this is what’s called a commercial co-venture, and it’s a regulated activity that usually has a written arrangement to protect the non-profut. While the business does get the tax benefit since it counts as income, if you were already planning on buying a Gatorade, it doesn’t benefit you or the non-profit to buy it elsewhere just to “stick it” to the store.
If you pay the donation you get the tax write-off, regardless of whether you donate through a grocery store, directly through the charity, or through your paycheck. It’s on your receipt and you can claim it. The store cannot legally claim the tax write-off that you made because it is not income for them, they are simply holding the money.
https://apnews.com/article/fact-checking-000329849244
Now in this case where they are donating a portion of the sales, this is what’s called a commercial co-venture, and it’s a regulated activity that usually has a written arrangement to protect the non-profut. While the business does get the tax benefit since it counts as income, if you were already planning on buying a Gatorade, it doesn’t benefit you or the non-profit to buy it elsewhere just to “stick it” to the store.