Avoid giving dad that dud gift

Socks? They’re boring, so this Father’s Day do something better for dad – and the planet, writes Anthony Keane

DADS are the hardest family members to buy presents for, and almost two-thirds of them say their children have wasted money on gifts they don’t want.

Research by ING found almost half of all dads have Father’s Day gifts they have never used or worn, but the study discovered a rise in “eco-dads” who prefer to see the money instead spent on social or environmental causes.

On September 2, Aussie dads will receive Father’s Day gifts worth an average $65, with shavers, deodorant and socks among the most popular presents, ING says.

Many gifts are bought in a last-minute rush and many shoppers aren’t proud of what they have purchased.

“In my experience, dads aren’t great at telling you what they want,” said ING’s head of retail banking, Melanie Evans.

“We just assume dads are easy to please, leaving the usual cliched gift such as socks, ties, sporting equipment or personal care items that often go unused.

“Many of these unused gifts end up in landfill.”

However, 77 per cent of dads are prepared to give up cliched gifts for something that gives back to the community, according to research by ING, which runs a Dreamstarter program supporting social enterprises that give back to the community.

Among them is family-fun business Eat Me Chutneys, which uses rescued produce that would otherwise be wasted.

Eat Me Chutneys’ Bhupinder Chopra said dads have a responsibility to encourage their family to live more sustainably. “In doing so they’re helping to create a better future for their offspring and the next generations,” he said.

Mr Chopra said he would never tell a family member that he didn’t like their gift.

“I wouldn’t want to hurt their feelings,’’ he said.

MBA Financial Strategists director Darren James said parents did not want to offend.

“I have been in the position where from various family members you are given something and think ‘where was your headspace at when you got me this?’,” he said.

“I say to my family now, ‘please ask me’.

“My view is that dads – if they want something – will normally go and buy it, so it’s hard to get them something.”

Mr James said some dads, rather than receive a gift themselves, might prefer to see the money going directly into their children’s bank accounts to help the kids’ futures.

“It’s the one day fathers should get the choice rather than a gift.”

He agreed that today’s dads were more aware of the environment and being sustainable.

“In generations gone by it probably wasn’t as much of a concern – now we are more aware of the impacts.”