England star backs marketing campaign to assist Brits donate thousands and thousands of pairs of unused trainers
Maro Itoje has supported a new campaign encouraging Brits to donate some of the more than 100 million pairs of unused trainers currently sitting around in UK homes
England rugby captain Maro Itoje is backing the campaign
There are more than 100 million pairs of unused trainers sitting in UK households.
Around 114 million pairs of trainers are sitting idle in wardrobes across the UK and could be given a second lease of life, new research has revealed.
But more than 80% of Brits say they would be likely to hand them over if they knew it helped someone else get active.
According to a poll of 2,000 people, the average Brit owns five pairs, yet almost a third (30%) say they have pairs still in their original packaging that they’ll never wear.
The fear of not knowing if the trainers are good enough to be reused is the top reason they aren’t given a second chance, (30%), while 21% say they’ve never even thought about donating their trainers.
One in nine (11%) also say they don’t know how or where to donate them. The research by Vitality Health and Life Insurance has shown that the average household owns 10 pairs of trainers, spending around £66 on each pair.
With 31% of Brits saying they have enough pairs they could wear a different one every day.
Despite so many pairs gathering dust, half (50%) of Brits say they have struggled to afford trainers, with 35% admitting the cost has impacted their ability to exercise or stay active.
In response to this, England rugby captain Maro Itoje and Vitality have launched Give2Move, a new initiative focused on improving access to trainers enabling more people to be more active – helping remove a key barrier to exercise and the health benefits that come with it.
Even when no longer used, many trainers are kept. Over half (53%) say they hold onto pairs that are still in good condition, while nearly half (47%) keep them ‘just in case’, leaving millions unused in homes across the country.
Sheffield and Belfast are the unused sneaker capitals of the UK, with more than three pairs per person sitting idle. 18-24 year olds are the most likely to lose interest in a pair of trainers (41%), with 45-54 year olds hoarding the most pairs of trainers (three pairs).
On average, it takes just over a year (15 months) for Brits to get trainer fatigue and buy a new pair.
The most common uses of trainers in the UK are walking for exercise (74%), gym workouts (28%) and running (28%), the data showed.
But not all unused shoes are sitting idle, and one in four (39%) say they donate their used runners to charity, one in six (18%) say they recycle their trainers, and 16% say they re-sell them online.
Most Brits keep their trainers because they think they might wear them again in the future (49%), and 42% say they keep them because they are still in good condition.
Easy drop-off locations (47%) and environmental benefits (28%) are among the top reasons that would make people more likely to donate unused shoes.
With the gap in physical activity between the most and least deprived communities widening, Give2Move is encouraging people to part with the trainers they dont use, with the aim to collect 1 million pairs over the next five years to help more people across the UK get moving – an mission that is at Vitality’s core.
Maro Itoje kicked off the campaign at Battersea Park Run and said: “Staying active should be something everyone can access, but for some people, not having the right kit can be a real barrier. I know first-hand how important regular activity is for both mental and physical health, which is why it’s so important we all come together to break down the barriers that exists to getting active. Being part of Give2Move means I can be part of this movement to ensure no one can say that trainers are why they are not moving more.”
Dr Milly Marshall, Medical Advisor at Vitality, added: “Regular physical activity is one of the most important things we can do for our overall health, helping to reduce the risk of chronic conditions supporting our mental wellbeing. But for some people, not having the right kit, including access to trainers, can be a genuine barrier to getting active. Initiatives like Give2Move can play an important role in helping to remove that barrier and make activity more accessible to more people.”
Vitality has launched Give2Move in partnership with Shoe Aid and JogOn. Donation points will be available at Vitality Partners across the country, with more details available on Vitality.co.uk soon.
For more information on Give2Move, visit: https://www.vitality.co.uk/about/sustainability/give-to-move/
