Austerity shoppers fuel a £90m bonanza for Oxfam

SHOPPERS looking for value for money in the recession are turning to charity stores in soaring numbers.

Oxfam reported an all-time sales record of nearly £90million from its shops and website over the last year, £4million more than the previous 12 months.

This is the equivalent of Oxfam selling £250,000 worth of goods every weekday and weekend, largely from donated items.

Overall, £25.5million will be pumped into the charity’s coffers, which is a like-for-like increase of six per cent. Oxfam’s results are in stark contrast to other shops on the ailing high street. Recently, angry shareholders and workers rounded on Marks & Spencer boss Marc Bolland after the beleaguered high street giant revealed its worst figures since the start of the recession in 2008.

Despite the help of celebrities such as Twiggy and Gary Barlow who have starred in M&S adverts, general merchandise sales, including clothing, slumped by 6.8 per cent in the 13 weeks to June 30. But while Mr Bolland scoops a pay package worth £1.68million, Oxfam chief executive, Barbara Stocking, receives a total package of a more modest £105,943.

Oxfam’s 700 stores across Britain offer some of the cheapest clothes, books and other goods on the high street, including second-hand designer clothes at rock-bottom prices.

Research from the Bank of England suggests that families are ‘ever more focused on obtaining value for money’.

The Bank’s monthly reports published throughout the recession reveal how people are switching to cheaper shops or will only shop if there is a sale or a promotion.

Andrew Horton, trading director of Oxfam, said more and more people are turning to charity shops as a way of cutting family spending.

Mr Horton said the charity’s bestsellers are clothes, particularly women’s clothing, books and bric-a-brac, such as second-hand dinner sets, glasses and ceramics.

The figures from Oxfam’s annual report, published today, also reveal how people are donating generously to the charity’s shops despite the double dip recession.