5 What percentage of the goods in charity shops are
second-hand?
Tekst:
Charity shops used to be considered old-fashioned and a place where only older people would go searching for cheaper thinks. However, things have changed and today it is not unsual to find young people and hipsters shopping for vitage or retro clothes, music fans buying vinyl records to replace their CDa, and people looking for unique objects from the past which are no longer easy find.
If you walk down the main street of most UK towns, you will pass special shops which sell all sorts of second-hand clothes and goods that ordinary people have given. The shops give the money they make to good causes and they also make people aware of those in need around the world. There are over 9,000 charity shops in the UK, and over 100,000 people work in them, giving their time for free.
In 1942, a group of people in Oxford started a charity called Oxfam to help people in Greece who were short of food during World War II. Oxfam received so many goods from the general public that it decided to open a shop on Broad Street, Oxford in 1948. It was the first modern charity shops. Today, with 730 shops nationwide, it is the UK's largest charity chain.
People have different reasons for shopping in charity shops. Some shop ther because of the low prices, but also because they believe they can help the shop's cause. Others choose them because of the environmental benefits of reusing and recycling goods. They are also good places for collectors who are looking for special objects or books, or for people who are into vintage or unsual clothes. Eighty-seven per cent of goods in charity shops are second-hand or'pre-loved', but a few shops also sell new items, such as cards and gifts. Charity shops are very popular and everyone in the UK thinks they're a good idea.
