Portsmouth charity shop see surge in new customers since cost of living crisis began

Debbie Hosny, the manager of the charity’s shop in London Road, North End, admits she has seen a change over the last 12 months.“I’ve been at Scope on London Road for 18 years so I really know this community and our regular customers well,’ she said. ‘But over the last year I’ve definitely seen a lot of younger, new customers coming into our shop for the first time.

‘They’re telling me that sustainability is such an important issue and by supporting our charity shop, they feel they are doing their part for the environment.

‘Our customers are definitely feeling the pinch in their budgets and feel they can’t justify spending money at traditional shops.

‘But by coming to our shop they can buy several, quality items and come out with change from £20. Whereas, in a traditional shop, they’d be likely to only get one item.

‘We always put our special, luxury donations in the window, which maybe cost a little more. But they don’t stay long as they’re snapped up not long after they go on display.

‘I feel our shop plays an important role in the community too. We always take on young teenagers who need to do volunteer hours to get their Duke of Edinburgh Award.

‘They love that they’re learning new skills and gaining vital work experience and that volunteering looks so impressive on their college application forms.

‘Their parents are happy, knowing their child is in a safe and inclusive environment, developing their skills.

‘We also have a number of disabled volunteers. They love the support we give them, helping them to thrive and develop their skill base and we love supporting them.’

In a recent survey, Scope asked 2,000 people about their charity shopping habits. They found:*Nearly half (46 per cent) say the cost of living pressures has prompted them to shop in charity shops;*17 per cent agreed that since the cost of living crisis began they have been shopping more in charity shops;*12 per cent are shopping in charity shops for the first time;*Two in three (67 per cent) say charity shops play a vital role on the high street – a huge increase of 18 per cent compared to 2021 polling.The main reason people are turning to charity shops is value (53 per cent), but 33 per cent say their local charity shop makes them feel an important part of the community.In addition, 35 per cent say they can find something different at charity shops and 31 per cent visit charity shops for sustainability reasons.

Ruth Blazye, Executive Director or Retail and Communities at Scope, said: ‘The lockdowns, combined with the cost of living crisis, have been a monumental disaster for the high street and people’s spending power.

‘Our new research shows charity shops have never been needed more than now, as the nation recognises their increasing importance, while our budgets are being squeezed like never before.“We know that charity shops are exciting places to visit with pre loved and new, quality bargains and essentials to discover on the rails every day.

‘Our findings also show they’re making customers feel like they’re an important part of their community where you are always made to feel welcome.“Shop managers are saying they’re becoming a lifeline for many of the customers. Sometimes they’re the only people that person speaks to all day or week.

‘One shop manager organises wellbeing events for his customers, from beach walking, hikes on the South Downs and crystal sessions. And they love it.‘Charity shops can only remain open with the incredible support of our very kind customers and donors.’

ENDSSource:[1] Opinium: Charity Shop survey for Scope, 27 January – 31 January 2023. Sampling 2001 UK adults. Results are weighted to be nationally representative.[2] Opinium: Charity Shops State of the Nation survey for Scope, 30 March – 1 April 2021. Sampling 2001 UK adults. Results are weighted to be nationally representative.