Happy-go-lucky Brits say their glass is half full, according to research commissioned by AmazonSmile

The research marks the announcement that more than 2,000 UK registered charities - and counting - are now listed and ready to receive donations from AmazonSmile

A sunny day was voted the top thing that makes us smile, followed by hearing ‘I love you’ and doing a random act of kindness, while donating to charity was chosen by almost one in five

As part of the research, the British public also chose This Morning host, Holly Willoughby, as their favourite celebrity smile, with Prince Harry named as runner-up

95 percent of Brits give to charity, with a third (33 percent) doing so at least once a month, while a generous 13 percent give once a week

Each time customers shop at smile.amazon.co.uk, Amazon will donate a percentage of the net purchase price for millions of eligible products at no additional cost to customers or charities

London, 13 March 2018 – More than SEVEN in ten Brits claim their glass is "half full" when it comes to their outlook on life, according to a new study commissioned by AmazonSmile.

Millions of Amazon customers can now raise money for over two thousand charities, small or large, local or national, by shopping at smile.amazon.co.uk. Customers who shop with AmazonSmile can choose a charity to support before they start shopping and that charity will receive donations from Amazon at no additional cost to the customer or charity.

According to the poll of over 2,000 adults, the average Brit smiles 6,205 times per year - and only frowns 4,015 times. The nation was asked to vote for the things which make them smile on a day to day basis – with a sunny day emerging as the clear winner, with 50 percent of participants calling it out. Hearing “I love you” came second (47 percent) and doing a random act of kindness came third (40 percent). Other things which make us smile were eating fish and chips by the sea (36 percent), hearing a baby laugh (36 percent), seeing an older couple holding hands (30 percent), and hearing a song that reminds you of a holiday (28 percent).

An upbeat two thirds (66 percent) of the population said they were convinced there is more good in the world than bad, compared to just 20 percent who maintained the opposite was true. On a day to day basis, our partner makes us smile the most according to half of the Brits polled, while 41 percent said their children were most likely to make them beam.

Giving to a good cause also makes us smile, with almost one in five (17 percent) calling it out specifically. The poll also revealed that 95 percent of Brits give to charity, with a third of Brits (33 percent) doing so at least once a month, while a generous 13 percent give once a week. According to the research, on average we do a charitable deed four times a week, with 70 percent doing their bit by taking unwanted items to their local charity shop, while 45 percent put their spare change into a charity box. 34 percent give to charity collectors on the street, while 29 percent have a monthly direct debit set up to give to their favourite good cause.

Almost half of those polled (46 percent) said they give to charity because they are more fortunate than others, while 35 percent said they believed in “karma” and hoped others would help them out if they were ever in need.

AmazonSmile makes giving even simpler with more than two thousand charities now listed - including British Red Cross, Cancer Research UK, Comic Relief, Magic Breakfast, The Royal British Legion, Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital Charity, RSPCA, Save the Children, Scottish Women’s Aid and WWF UKoffering Amazon customers the chance to raise money for UK charities every time they shop at smile.amazon.co.uk. Customers who visit smile.amazon.co.uk enjoy the same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience – but with an added bonus that Amazon will donate 0.5% of the net purchase price of eligible products (excluding VAT, shipping fees, and returns) to one of more than 2,000 charities that customers can choose from. The more customers use smile.amazon.co.uk, the more charities will receive in donations from Amazon, all at no additional cost to the customer or charities.

“We're offering a simple way for customers to support good causes and with more than two thousand new charities from across the country now available to choose from, everyone should be able to find a cause close to their heart,” said Jan Lakotta, UK Manager, AmazonSmile. “Following in the footsteps of AmazonSmile in the US, where more than $69 million has been donated to charity since launching, we want to make it as easy as possible for people to support the charities they care about without having to change the way they shop.”

People were also asked to choose their favourite celebrity smile as part of the research, and This Morning host, Holly Willoughby came top of the list, with Prince Harry named as runner-up.

Holly’s co-host Philip Schofield came in third place in the smile stakes just ahead of The Duchess of Cambridge. The Queen completed the top five – coming just below her granddaughter-in-law Catherine - beating Harry’s fiancée Meghan Markle (6th) and Dame Judi Dench (7th). Prince William (8th) was the fifth member of the Royal family in the top ten, followed by David Beckham (9th) and Idris Elba (10th).

“The power of a smile is universal and Amazon are hoping to help put smiles on thousands more faces with donations made through AmazonSmile,” said Edith Bowman, a supporter of Alzheimer’s Research UK, one of the charities benefitting from AmazonSmile. “Supporting your chosen charity through AmazonSmile is so simple and it won’t cost you anything extra – just choose the cause you would like Amazon to donate to and then shop.”

TOP 30 THINGS THAT MAKE BRITS SMILE

1. A sunny day - 50 percent
2. Someone saying “I love you” - 47 percent
3. Doing a random act of kindness - 40 percent
4. Receiving a gift - 38 percent
5. Being there for someone – 37 percent
6. Eating fish and chips by the sea - 36 percent
7. Hearing a baby laugh - 36 percent
8. A Sunday roast with all the family - 35 percent
9. A great meal in your favourite restaurant - 35 percent
10. A dog wagging its tail at you - 34 percent
11. Walking on fresh snow - 32 percent
12. Witnessing a good deed - 31 percent
13. Telling a great joke and everyone laughing - 31 percent
14. Seeing an older couple holding hands - 30 percent
15. Giving someone a gift for no reason - 30 percent
16. Funny videos/memes - 30 percent
17. Winning a tenner on the lottery - 29 percent
18. Someone cooking for you - 29 percent
19. Getting a promotion/pay rise - 28 percent
20. Hearing a song that reminds you of a holiday - 28 percent
21. Eating chocolate on the sofa - 27 percent
22. The smell of freshly cut grass - 27 percent
23. Seeing someone on the bus give up their seat for a pregnant woman - 27 percent
24. Someone holding a door open for you - 27 percent
25. The first daffodils of spring - 27 percent
26. Receiving flowers - 26 percent
27. The smell of a BBQ - 26 percent
28. The first sip of a cold beer on a hot day - 25 percent
29. Pub lunches - 25 percent
30. Seeing cherry blossom on a tree - 24 percent

TOP TEN BEST CELEBRITY SMILES

TOP 20 BEST FEMALE CELEBRITY SMILES

TOP 20 BEST MALE CELEBRITY SMILES

Customers can learn more and begin supporting their favourite charity at smile.amazon.co.uk. 
Charities can learn more and register to accept donations at org.amazon.co.uk.

Notes to editors

For information, images and interviews, please contact Hunt & Gather:
Tiffini Miles – tiffini@hunt-gather.com / 07841 634 058
Charlotte Anderson - charlottea@hunt-gather.com / 07760 153 549
Katie FitzPatrick - katief@hunt-gather.com / 07976 375 496

Survey conducted by Ginger Comms with 2,018 adults in the UK

AmazonSmile

AmazonSmile charities in the U.S have received donations of more than $69 million as of November 2017. For more information, please visit: ‘Your AmazonSmile’.

How do charities enrol to receive donations? 
In order to enrol and receive donations, the enroller must be an official representative of an eligible organisation, and then follow these steps on org.amazon.co.uk:

• Search for the charitable organisation by name or registered charity number and then select the organisation.
• Create an organisation administrator account and accept the AmazonSmile Participation Agreement on behalf of the organisation.
• Verify the email address.
• Submit the organisation’s bank account information.
• Upload a copy of a bank statement to verify the organisation’s bank account information.

Organisations must be registered and in good standing with the Charity Commission of either England and Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland to be eligible to participate.

For further information, please contact:
Amazon UK Press Office
Email: pressoffice@amazon.co.uk 
Tel: 0203 680 0888

About Amazon
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