Shoppers slam charity retailers’ ‘ridiculous’ costs for second-hand objects

Gen Z shoppers are turning against the trend of buying pre-owned clothes as they claim charity shops have become ‘ridiculously expensive’.

Second-hand stores, which were once a go-to for shoppers looking for clothes, accessories and furniture at cheap prices, are no longer the place to find a bargain, according to consumers.

While there is no shortage of desirable items at the stores, they’re selling at prices that are verging on unacceptable for many customers.

It comes as younger shoppers are increasingly moving to car boot sales and second-hand retail platforms like Vinted and Depop to secure their next Instagram-friendly outfit.

Shoppers have taken to social media to complain about the rising costs at charity shops, including content creator Anna from London, also known as @thecharityshopqueen online, who has gained over 80 thousand likes on her content blasting the prices.

Taking to TikTok, Anna has recorded herself in various charity shops calling out ‘audacious pricing’ to show her followers ‘how ridiculous the prices at charity shops in London have got’.

First, she found a dress from fast fashion e-tailer, Boohoo, priced at £17, despite being £22 brand new, and asked: ‘How can they justify that?’ 

She went on to find a pair of orange heeled sandals for £14 that were £25 when new. She said: ‘I’d rather pay that and not have had someone’s smelly feet in them’, before deciding that £5 would be a reasonable price for them.

She concluded the video while showing up a vest dress and said: ‘Please tell me I’m not the only one who noticed this because who in their right mind is paying £12 for this plain vest dress from H&M second hand when it definitely didn’t cost that much brand new’.

In a later video, the content creator was shocked to discover a different charity shop’s policy of not selling anything for below £8.

After asking staff for a lower price on an item, she explained: ‘I asked the charity shop why something was so expensive, and they told me they never charge less than £8’.

Anna is not the only one struggling to come to terms with the prices at charity shops, with another bargain hunter, Hope Bailey, calling out shops in Manchester.

She said: ‘Why are charity shops going so expensive?’ While holding up a belt, she wrote: ‘£10 for this belt, that’s a whole hour’s work’.

Meanwhile, influencer Lilly Whitfield from Lincoln but living in London, said: ‘Somebody tell me why charity shops are becoming so expensive.

‘I am fully aware that we are in a cost-of-living crisis, I get it… I have been shopping in charity shops since I was tiny because my mother couldn’t afford toys and clothes.’

She continued: ‘I just don’t understand why these charity shops are all of a sudden charging so much money for items that aren’t even that high quality.

‘I just want to start the conversation because… I have just started noticing the prices getting ridiculous.’

Other have taken to X, formerly Twitter, to comment on the topic. One said: ‘When did charity shops get so expensive? ‘A second user said: ‘Charity shops have gone weirdly expensive’.

A third wrote: ‘The ‘vintagification’ of charity shops is so awful. Was in Save the Children today and a Big Issue seller just said it’s all too expensive. And he’s right, 15 quid for a shirt is not charity shop vibes’.

A fourth said: ‘Thought I’d check out local charity shops as… [I] need clothes. [I’m] not trying to name and shame, I’m all for making money for charity but honestly prices are ridiculous for donated items. No wonder people flock to Primark’.

It comes after Britons blasted ‘expensive’ charity shops and claiming the prices are getting steeper, after an empty jam jar was flogged for £2.50 and a 2011 Disney calendar was marked up as £6.

Laura McInerney posted to X, formerly Twitter, to express her shock at the seemingly inflated costs of some items she stumbled across earlier this month.

She shared a snap of an empty Bonne Maman jar, which was being flogged for £2.50 at a British Heart Foundation shop in Newham – only 10p less than the same price you can get it from the shelves of a supermarket with jam inside.

Shocked, she continued: ‘Or what about a free corporate notebook given out at a Barclays event? Yours for only £4!’ and ‘A photo album that’s 13 years out of date? Stick £6 on it… My mind is blown’.

The tweet was quickly seen by more than a million people, who chimed in with their own thoughts about the pricing.

Bonne Maman jams can be picked up for £2.60 in Asda – or Marmalade, which comes in the same jar, will set you back £2.20 from Ocado, less than the price of the empty jar.

Someone in the replies joked: ‘It’s a ten pence discount off the retail price. A bargain!’

Another user penned: ‘Just done a round at charity shops near me. Madness, the prices are more expensive than buying new. But still, in my attempt to leave fast fashion, I’m doing the charity shop.’

Laura responded: ‘Yes, agree. I sort of don’t mind it for clothing, as it’s usually still at least a bit discounted and better for the world. But the stationery and books were *wildly* out of kilter!’

Meanwhile, a second agreed: ‘Yep – I’ve noticed this. I try to get the majority of my clothes from charity shops (from a sustainability point of view as much as anything).

‘Used to be pretty cheap… not anymore! I also think lots of the best stuff goes on Vinted etc nowadays! (I buy from there, too)’.

‘You can buy it new with jam included at that price,’ penned one surprised social media user, with a second adding: ‘I’m rich! I’ve got thousands!’

Someone else claimed: ‘They have whole sections full of Primark and Florence & Fred all priced higher than when new’.