Second-hand clothing boom for Brits continues, survey shows
A survey has found that nearly a quarter of Britain’s wardrobes are now made up of pre-owned clothes.
The second-hand clothing boom has seen spending on vintage gear reach £2.4billion in 2023.
On average, bargain loving Brits bought three items of clothing from secondhand retailers in 2023, with young adults buying five items on average, compared to two items for those aged 55 and over.
Unsurprisingly the survey of 2,000 consumers, commissioned by the Westfield shopping centre group, found that youngsters aged between 18 and 34 had the most second-hand clothes in their wardrobe. They had an average of 34 per cent.
Those who bought secondhand clothing last year spent an average of £91.60, rising to £120.40 for 18 to 34 year olds and £133.20 for Londoners – who were more likely than those from other regions to buy pre-loved clothing.
Savvy shopper Rebekah Imogen in front of charity shops in Altrincham. On average, bargain loving Brits bought three items of clothing from secondhand retailers in 2023 – a survey has found
Ms Imogen with a designer JOSEPH leather jacket she found for just £15. The survey found the biggest attraction for secondhand clothing purchases was its cost-effectiveness, particularly during the cost-of-living crisis
The most commonly purchased second-hand items included shirts or T-shirts, jackets, and jeans or trousers.
The figures include parents choosing secondhand clothing for children, particularly toddlers and primary school students.
Over half of parents bought at least one second hand item for their children in the last year.
The biggest attraction for secondhand clothing purchases was its cost-effectiveness, particularly during the cost-of-living crisis, cited by 36 per cent of those who bought secondhand.
The second reason cited for shopping second hand was concern for the climate and as an alternative to fast fashion.
While some consumers were less concerned with the cost or climate change and instead said they bought second-hand clothes due to their quality and because they thought it was ‘cool.’
Some savvy shoppers travel for miles to get the best bargain, including Rebekah Imogen from Manchester who travels for 40 minutes to the affluent Greater Manchester suburb of Altrincham.
Ms Imogen travels to the area to buy luxury second-hand goods in the area where footballers and WAGs are known to live.
An Oxfam charity shop in London. Londoners have been found to shop second-hand the most in the UK – spending on average £133.20
Ms Imogen from Manchester travels for 40 minutes to the affluent Greater Manchester suburb of Altrincham to find the best second hand clothes
The 24-year-old, said: ‘I usually just go to the areas where I know are quite wealthy areas and then one time, when I went to Age UK in Altrincham, I found a load of really good stuff.’
One of her best finds includes a JOSEPH leather jacket which retail for £3,000 that was down to just £15.
It isn’t just charity shops that Brits love to visit for their vintage clothes – online retailers such as Depop and Vinted are both popular online marketplaces.
EBay are now attempting to muscle their way into the lucrative second-hand market by offering no buying or selling fees. Which might help them take on rivals who ask for a commission from sellers on their sites.
According to GlobalData, the clothes resale market in the UK grew by 149 per cent between 2016 and 2022 and is forecast to rise by 67.5 per cent from 2022 to 2026.
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