The rise of the charity shop

The retail sector is fighting for its life. In 2022, almost 50 shops closed every day across the UK, and it was a similar story last year.

But the humble charity shop is bucking the trend. Not only are bricks-and-mortar stores growing in number, but sales are through the roof.

Oxfam’s retail income increased from £39.4m in 2020/21 to £90.3m in 2021/22, while Barnardo’s saw growth of 158% year-on-year to £78m in 2022.

And the trend is being seen across the sector. Data published by the Charity Retail Association shows that, between October and December 2022, there was a 9.1% increase in the average number of transactions per day in charity shops compared to the same period in 2021.

What’s caused the surge in popularity?

There are three factors at play:

Sustainability

Sustainability is a priority for consumers. A study by TheRoundup found that 62% of Brits “always or often” seek out environmentally friendly products.

Thrifting at a charity shop is the ultimate choice for eco-conscious shoppers, and donating is a great way of de-cluttering cupboards without cluttering up the environment.

Cost-of-living

As the cost-of-living crisis continues to bite, shoppers are increasingly turning to charity shops to get the best value for their money. According to MIND, 48% of Brits have swapped their favourite high street stores for charity shops.

And it’s no surprise. Why break the bank at Givenchy when they can pop into one of Shelter’s boutique stores and pick up a designer, high-end high street, or vintage one-off find at a fraction of the price?

Social Media

Social media has also played a part in the charity shop boon.

The hashtag #CharityShopHaul has amassed 217 million views on TikTok, thanks to the rise of charity shop influencers like second-hand fashion stylist Jen Graham, who has grown an impressive following by promoting sustainable shopping.

Just under 100,000 people check out her regular charity shop hauls on Instagram.

And it’s a similar story on YouTube. Thousands of influencers can be found documenting their charity shop escapades and the bargains they pick up along the way.

Next Level

The nation’s obsession with thrift shopping has led to the emergence of initiatives that are taking charity shopping to the next level.

Here are a few examples.

Charity Superstores

Cancer Research UK and The Salvation Army are just two household names to have launched multi-department charity superstores.

Housed in retail units left vacant by failed retailers such as Debenhams, they offer everything from furniture and homeware to electricals and fashion.

Charity Supermarket

Launched in January 2022, Charity Super.Mkt is the UK’s first ‘multi-charity’ pop-up shop. The brainchild of Wayne Hemingway, founder of British fashion brand Red or Dead, and Maria Chenoweth, CEO of sustainable clothing charity TRAID, the pop-up visits different locations across the UK, bringing together second-hand fashion and accessories from the nation’s favourite charity retailers under one roof.

The first time that national and local charities have collaborated on a store, every penny goes to charity.

In its first four weeks, the pop-up raised over £300,000 and saved 11 tonnes of clothing from landfill.

Charity Shop Gift Card

In another ‘first’ for the sector, the Charity Retail Association (the national body representing charity retailers) rolled out the UK’s first Charity Shop Gift Card last year.

Accepted in shops run by regional and national charities across the UK, the CRA touts it as “the only gift card that can be spent in multiple charity shops across the UK”.

The card is made from recycled materials and can be purchased at various high street stores and supermarkets.

65% of the profits from the sales of The Charity Shop Gift Card go to UK-based charities.

Brand/charity collaborations

There are a growing number of collaborations between high street brands and charity shops, as corporate responsibility moves higher up the agenda.

For example, in 2017, high street clothing retailer TK Maxx staff launched a ‘Give Up Clothes for Good’ campaign.

Championed by celebrities and families living with cancer, the initiative rallied people across the UK to drop off their quality, pre-loved clothes, accessories, and homeware at collection points in TK Maxx stores. The items were then sold in Cancer Research UK shops.

TK Maxx customers collected over 1.7 million bags of donated goods, diverting more than 8800 tonnes of pre-loved items from landfill.

Final Word

While vintage fashion has long been popular, there’s no denying the boom in charity shops is taking on new vigour. If you’re not taking advantage, you’re missing out.

Looking to build up your fundraising team? We can help. Call us on 0203 750 3111 or email info@bamboofundraising.co.uk to get the conversation started.