Oxfam’s Christmas high street sales rose by more than 40%
Melanie May | 11 January 2023 | News
Oxfam’s high street shop takings rose by more than 40% in the week before Christmas, compared to the previous year, reaching £2.68 million. At the same time, online sales fell.
The week was the highpoint of Oxfam’s festive trading period (30 October – 31 December 2022), which saw year-on-year sales across the charity’s shops and e-commerce operations increase by 6% to £20.8mn. This raised an extra £1.1mn compared to the same period in 2021.
Oxfam’s high street shops accounted for most of its Christmas-time takings, achieving 9% more in sales compared to the same period in 2021. Sales were also consistently up across almost the entire nine-week trading period, compared to the year before. Five of the festive trading weeks took sales of more than £2mn each.
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Sales of donated goods rose by 10% in high street stores, totalling £11.4mn, and sales of Sourced by Oxfam, the charity’s range of ethically sourced and sustainable new products, grew by 9%.
Womenswear was the best-selling product category in high street stores with like-for-like sales up by 14% and shop managers reporting a strong demand for partywear. Books were the next best-seller on high streets with sales up by 12% and fiction particularly popular. Donated accessories rose by 9% and homewares by 6%.
Oxfam’s Online Shop sales however fell by 22% compared to the previous year, which its retail team believe may be related to consumer uncertainty about postal deliveries during this time.
Lorna Fallon, Oxfam’s Retail Director said:
“We are delighted with our Christmas sales and it’s really thanks to shop teams, our staff and volunteers, and of course the British public who so kindly donate and shop with us. Customers flocked to Oxfam stores to find what they wanted and needed for Christmas. They decided to look locally for unique and meaningful gifts that would make their money stretch further and benefit a good cause.”
About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.