Consumer spending on secondhand clothes and shoes hit £2.4bn in 2023: study

LONDON: Consumer spending on secondhand clothes and shoes reached £2.4 billion in 2023, with half of shoppers buying a pre-worn item, according to a study.

Almost a quarter of the average Briton’s wardrobe (23 per cent) is made up of pre-owned items, rising to 34 per cent among those aged between 18 and 34, a survey for the Westfield shopping centre group found.

On average, Britons bought three items of clothing from secondhand retailers in 2023, with young adults buying 5.3 items on average, compared to 1.7 items for those aged 55 and over.Londoners were more likely than those from other regions to buy secondhand items, at an average of 6.6 pieces. Those who bought secondhand clothing last year spent an average of £91.60, rising to £120.40 for 18 to 34 year olds, £133.20 for Londoners.

The most commonly purchased second-hand items included shirts or T-shirts (57 per cent), jackets (39 per cent), and jeans or trousers (37 per cent).Three in 10 of those who picked up a secondhand bargain in the last year also commonly bought accessories (29 per cent) and shoes or trainers (26 per cent), the survey found.

The figures include parents choosing secondhand clothing for children, particularly toddlers and primary school students.Some 59 per cent of parents bought at least one secondhand item for their children in the last year, with parents of toddlers and primary school students buying 6.1 and 6.2 items respectively.