By The Green Parent

02nd July 2013

There’s nothing quite like a Charity Shop. From the familiar musty smell that hits you as you swing back the door to the hours spent rummaging for bargains and vintage pieces, I can never pass by one without going in. Luckily for me, my children love them just as much as I do. But, these staples of the British High Street are facing an uncertain future.

By The Green Parent

02nd July 2013

By The Green Parent

02nd July 2013

According to research conducted by PricewaterhouseCooper, nearly 2000 high street stores closed in Britain in 2012. However, the study also found that charity shops were thriving with many economists believing that too many charity shops could be hurting local economies.

The problem
Currently, charity shops receive 80% rate relief on the business rates they pay (much like council tax) funded by central government with the remaining 20% being the discretion of each local authority, which could bring them up to a total of 100% . However, controversial new plans to allocate 75% of the responsibility to local authorities and to cap relief at 50% have been met with a strong reaction from charities with the Charity Retail Association (CRA) claiming the effects of this would be “disastrous” forcing up to a third of welsh charity shops to close down. Whilst a review conducted by retail expert Mary Portas found that “too much of one thing […] puts off potential retailers and investors”, the CRA argued that charity shops prevent large amounts of stock from entering the waste stream as they allow consumers to reuse and recycle their goods.

Whilst it is true that the British high street is indeed struggling, charity shops cannot shoulder the entire burden. With pound shops and betting shops releasing record profits, year upon year, and landlords favouring reliably profitable shops over smaller, independent retailers it would be unfair to group them together with charitable organisations that use much of their profits for important causes, such as research into cancer treatments. But, all of this aside, charity shops are facing uncertain times if these controversial new measures come into effect. Furthermore, it will be the most vulnerable members of society who suffer should they begin to close at the same rate as other high street stores.

How we can help
The benefits of charity shopping are numerous, with waste reduction being one of the least known and yet most important. For many, however, saving some money in times of hardship is a big motivator alongside it being a more ethical way to shop. In order to make a difference, we can take action by opting to donate our goods to local shops and choosing to shop with them more frequently. Activists amongst you may wish to petition your local councils who are currently being incentivised by central government to focus on economic growth at the expense of charities.

Often, money raised is directly involved in local services and hospices which have a direct benefit in the local community. Simply taking the time to consider these important and, sometimes, grass roots organisations can have a large impact in ways we may not always appreciate and that may help to change to struggles they may soon face.

For more information on how to help out, check out: www.charityretail.org.uk

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