I’ve always been a fan of Charity shops London and nationwide, but why are most charity shops now becoming so expensive? It is even cheaper to buy clothing from Primark? That is my experience, anyhow.
We have a charity shop in Rochdale called Scope where everything is £1. This is the role of a charity shop, to provide heavily discounted clothing, books, and accessories, which were given to them freely by kind natured people who are actually doing a great thing in RECYCLING.
This world is getting crazier and crazier every day, and yet a lot of charity shops London and nationwide are becoming snobbier. For example, I visited Springhill Hospice the other month and saw a pair of used Nike jogging pants, which were priced £5.50 or £6.50, if I remember right. It is scandalous to charge such high prices for a second hand clothing item just because it is a popular sports brand. In the same shop there was a cabinet priced at £750. Remember, this is a charity shop. I certainly cannot afford £750 for a cabinet. Yes, £1 or £2 might be a tad too cheap for a lovely cabinet, but £25 is far more realistic, especially if that item was given to them freely.
Same with the large British Heart Foundation in Rochdale who have a pair of River Island brand new shoes priced at £20. This is a charity shop? Why are they trying to profit here? It is so wrong.
I know shops like Oxfam online sell their own hand made products, Fairtrade coffees and chocolates, and the Faith by Nature brand of soaps, shampoos, and whatever else, but charity shops London and nationwide need to be about making prices affordable, because after all people don’t have to buy second hand clothes, when clothes are available so cheaply from high street stores like Primark, and online at places like Everything 5 Pounds. These clothes are not made ethically either. Government moan at us to use less water, less heat, less cars, and yet it uses up so much water to make new clothes, so why are some charity shops becoming more expensive? It makes zero sense.
People who shop at charity shops regularly should be actually rewarded for recycling clothing and accessories, but prices need to be kept low at £1 or £2 per item for clothing, shoes, and bags. This makes it fair. The charity shop can make money for their charity, and the customers get a bargain. Everybody wins.
This is my rant of the day. Have you found the same in your local charity shops? Do you think the prices are fair, or are they taking advantage by putting higher price tags on the designer clothing?