// Charity Retail Association urges public to be more thoughtful & avoid donating “patently unsellable” items
// Charity shops have experienced a deluge of donations in the wake of lockdown easing & home spring cleans
Charity retailers have urged Brits to stop donating “disgusting or really badly broken” items at their network of shops after a deluge of donations in the wake of lockdown easing.
The Charity Retail Association (CRA) has asked the public to be more thoughtful and avoid donating “patently unsellable” items to their local charity shop, as they end up having to be disposed of.
The deluge of donations come as charity shops across England and Wales reopen after lockdown on non-essential retail was lifted last week, and with Brits spending lockdown carrying out a spring clean of their homes.
READ MORE:
- “Save donations until shops are open again” – charity retailers
- How charity shops are adapting amid Covid-19
“This isn’t anything terribly new – charity shops have always had some donations which people can’t use,” CRA chief executive Robin Osterley said.
“Our message to the public is be thoughtful about the sorts of things you’re donating. If it’s something which can be sold, that you’d want to see in a charity shop, then do by all means bring it along.
“If, on the other hand, it’s disgusting or really badly broken, then think of disposing of it because shops are there to make money for their parents charities. They’re not household waste sites.
“We don’t want to give the impression that we’re not grateful for people bringing their stuff in – we really, really are. Since lockdown, we’ve tried to be a little more assertive about this because our members are likely getting very large numbers of donations.
“Having to sort through donations which are patently unsellable is obviously unfortunate for them and in some cases quite unpleasant actually.”
Osterly also warned Brits to not leave piles of bags at the doorways of charity shops.
“It’s unhygienic, it’s very unlikely to last the night with animals and the weather, and it might get nicked,” he said.
“It’s actually fly tipping. People really shouldn’t do that. Please bring it into the shop.”
Items that are often donated and can’t be sold include chipped glasses, teapots without lids, and ripped or paint-stained clothes.
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