Gen Z shoppers are turning away from charity shops, claiming prices have become 'ridiculously expensive' and that it's cheaper to buy new clothes from Primark. Second-hand stores, once a go-to for bargains, are now seen as overpriced, with customers flocking to car boot sales and platforms like Vinted and Depop instead.
Content creator Anna from London, known as @thecharityshopqueen on TikTok, has gained over 80,000 likes for videos calling out 'audacious pricing'. In one clip, she found a Boohoo dress priced at £17, just £5 less than its £22 new price. She also spotted orange heeled sandals for £14 that were £25 new, saying she'd rather pay the full price 'than have someone's smelly feet in them'. She deemed £5 a reasonable price.
Another video showed a plain H&M vest dress for £12, which she said likely cost less new. Anna also revealed a charity shop policy of never charging less than £8 for any item, after asking staff for a lower price. She questioned whether she should name the chain.
Other bargain hunters have echoed the complaints. Hope Bailey in Manchester called out a £10 belt, saying 'that's a whole hour's work'. Influencer Lilly Whitfield, based in London, said she has 'just started noticing the prices getting ridiculous' and questioned why shops charge so much for low-quality items.
On X, formerly Twitter, users have also criticised the trend. One wrote: 'When did charity shops get so expensive?' Another said: 'The 'vintagification' of charity shops is so awful... 15 quid for a shirt is not charity shop vibes'. A third added: 'No wonder people flock to Primark'.
