Undertaken by YouGov on behalf of FCC Environment, the poll found that 84% of British shoppers buy second-hand items. This figure has grown by around 10% since 2022, reaching 84% in 2023 where it remains.
This year’s survey explored the reasons why people buy second-hand items, with 70% doing so because it is more cost effective, 43% citing sustainability as the driving force behind their decision and 42% doing so because they can find unique items.
Additionally, 87% of respondents said that they donate their unwanted items to charity shops, with 61% of people donating at least every six months.
Gemma Green, reuse development manager at FCC Environment, said: “Despite the boom in online marketplaces, the public still want to be able to donate and buy second-hand items in person, with almost nine in ten people donating their unwanted items to charity. 
“Further to this, a whopping 83% of people agreed that all household waste recycling centres in the UK should have reuse shops onsite or nearby, with 85% saying so in 2023 and 79% in 2022.”
For those who have a local charity reuse shop, the most popular items are books, household furniture and items for their gardens.
Green added: “Alongside the growth in people reusing items, we’re also seeing a growth in those looking to repair their broken items. Reuse and repair go hand in hand, and our poll found that the number of people who have visited a repair café has almost doubled (9% in 2024) since 2023 (5%), which is really encouraging to see. At FCC Environment we’re really proud of the work we do to reuse as many items as possible as we look to move away from our throwaway culture to a more circular economy.”
11 Household Waste Recycling Centres operated by FCC Environment currently host charity reuse shops. The waste management company also has one high-street reuse shop.
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