Prices too high in charity shops (From Dorset Echo)

Prices too high in charity shops

10:00am Saturday 4th February 2012 in Your letters

Over the years I have supported charity shops and charities as a whole and have done a great deal of charity work myself.

I think they do a great job raising funds for their individual causes.

But the essence of charity shops seems to be drifting away as to why people support and use them.

I have visited charity shops over the years looking for bargains, but I am shocked by the staggering price tags, where’s the charity in that?

Some of the prices are the same or even higher than you would find in the high street.

When I was growing up charity shops were used to benefit people or families who had a small income looking for cheap and affordable goods.

In our current financial climate people are looking for ways of saving money, but shopping for bargains at a charity shop is less and less appealing.

Without a doubt the majority of charity shops have grown into big organisations with a business model infrastructure resembling private companies.

I would ask all charity shops (there are some exceptions) to be fair and realistic on their prices and remember people who visit leave feeling they’ve supported a cause and got an item at cost price because they often can’t afford shop prices.

Duane Sharpe Lennox Street Weymouth