Charity shops are often talked about but rarely understood — so this week we’re joined by Robin Osterley OBE, outgoing Chief Executive of the Charity Retail Association, to explore what’s really happening on the high street.

Robin has led the CRA through retail turbulence, COVID, rising costs and huge shifts in public behaviour. Fresh from receiving his OBE, he shares a clear and honest picture of the charity retail landscape - what’s changing, what’s working, and where the real opportunities are.

In this episode

• Why reports of mass charity shop closures are misleading

• The rise of bigger, better “superstores” and what’s driving the change

• Why profitability matters more than ever

• The cost challenge: wages, NI, inflation and volunteer shortages

• What really sells in charity shops (and what doesn’t)

• The impact of fast fashion on donations and waste

• How online platforms, reselling and AI are opening new opportunities

• The huge social value generated by charity retail

• Robin’s advice to charities considering expanding into retail

Sector News

A Donor Code of Conduct?The Chartered Institute of Fundraising calls for a code following new data showing fundraisers — particularly women — reporting unacceptable behaviour from donors.

Key Takeaways

• Charity retail isn’t declining — it’s evolving

• Larger stores and better curation are improving profitability

• Online resale is supporting, not undermining, charity retail

• Fast fashion is the biggest operational challenge

• Charity shops remain powerful community hubs and sustainability champions

• For every £1 invested, over £7 of social value is created

• With the right model, retail can be a major strategic asset for charities

Useful Links

• Charity Retail Association
  https://www.charityretail.org.uk

• Chartered Institute of Fundraising –
  https://www.ciof.org.uk

• The Charity Shop Gift Card
  https://www.thecharityshopgiftcard.co.uk

• British Heart Foundation – Online Shop
  https://www.bhf.org.uk/shop

• Emmaus UK – Social Enterprise & Superstores
  https://emmaus.org.uk

• Shelter – Charity Shops & Visual Merchandising Work
  https://england.shelter.org.uk/shop

• Oxfam Online Shop
  https://onlineshop.oxfam.org.uk

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This episode is produced by ⁠⁠⁠The Good Studio⁠⁠⁠ – Creating great content for good causes.From podcasts and campaigns to film and copywriting, The Good Studio helps charities tell powerful stories that make people care.👉 Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠www.thegoodstudio.co.uk ⁠⁠