Where is your money going? What you need to know before buying pink ribbon products

You see the items everywhere: pink ribbons, pink jerseys, pink hats and more -- but where is the money from the purchases going?

Shehzin Tietjen, one of nearly four million breast cancer survivors, wants people to know not all pink ribbon items help the cause to cure breast cancer.

"What percentage of breast cancer marketing and commoditizing the pink ribbon … how much of that is actually benefiting survivors and women living with breast cancer?" Tietjen asked.

It's hard to tell because experts say none of it is regulated.

"The pink ribbon is entirely unregulated. Anyone can put a pink ribbon on anything, and they do," Breast Cancer Action Executive Director Karuna Jaggar said.

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A variety of pink ribbon items -- such as a pink ribbon tie, bracelets and a baseball cap -- can be found on Amazon.

But what all these items don't show is where the money is going.

Experts say before you buy, look closer at the tags. It should say how much money is going to cancer research and to which group.

Many cancer survivors want money for research, not awareness.

"At this point, everyone is aware of breast cancer and we need to see companies going beyond awareness," Jaggar said.

Cox Media Group