| Donations drop for charity shops |
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| Thursday, 02 October 2008 | |
 DARK times are coming, if the pessimists are to be believed. However, the infamous and immediate global economic recession seems to be tightening consumer pockets worldwide. But how are Dublin residents reacting to the latest reports of economic doom and gloom? Personal spending varies from person to person, so buying four pairs of shoes in a month might be a frivolous expense for one person, but it may also be a strict cutback for someone else. So a good acid test of how the credit crunch is hitting Dublin shoppers lies with the charity shops. With tension apparently increasing on purse strings across Ireland, are people more willing to hold on to the belongings they have? Or maybe they are looking twice in those charity shop windows before hitting the expensive high street stores? Shop Development Manager for Barnardos, Collette Miller, said there has been a slight decline in the number of donations received. “We have noticed a small decrease in donations from the public,” she told Northside People. “However, it is nothing for us to begin worrying about.” Some charity shops such as Barnardos receive donations from wholesalers and as a result, much of what is on the shelves is brand new, but with a much smaller price tag compared to average retail prices. “For example, our Liffey Street store stocks only new unused items, and we even have a whole new bridal department in our Dun Laoghaire store,” Collette added. “To me, the credit crunch is looking quite serious, with a large effect on shoppers. “High street price tags can be very off-putting as it is, but now in the face of economic recession, more and more shoppers are becoming scared of spending and are backing off.” Despite a decrease in donations from the public, Collette highlighted the increase in shoppers looking for deals. “We have our regular customers who shop with us just like any other store,” she said. “But we have begun to see a greater number of new faces stepping through our doors.” According to a Central Statistics Office (CSO), statistics released earlier this month, the cost of essentials such as water, electricity, food and health have all increased compared to last year. Although the monthly price of clothing, footwear and household furnishings fell, this can be attributed to traditional summer sales. Disability charity Enable Ireland operates a number of retail shops across Dublin, saving many used but perfectly fine items such as clothes and books from ending up in a landfill. The charity’s area manager for Dublin, Ken Girvan, said they have also noticed a dip in the amount of goods left at their stores. “Trade has been difficult this year,” he stated. “So far we have been unable to meet our target rate due to a fall in donations received.” However, Ken was hesitant to point the finger at the credit crunch. “I think the whole business of this economic recession seems to have been hyped up by the press,” he said. “There are still a number of more influential factors to consider. “For example, a number of high street stores have begun selling clothes, often of relatively poorer quality, but at much lower prices than their standard range. As a result, we have noticed that more and more items we receive would be of this lower quality.” Ken also cited the recent number of bogus charities usurping collections and the poor weather as other factors behind the donations slump. “It is a two-sided coin, however,” he added. “Over the years we have noticed more customers from all walks of life and all calibres of income. “Many of our staff have come from employment in mainstream stores. “The stigma of the charity shop certainly seems to have gone.” |
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Developed by Kevin Flynn