Op shop insider blames Aussies who donate goods for the soaring cost of items in ‘thrift’ stores
An Australian charity-shop volunteer says the rising cost of second-hand goods is partly driven by poor-quality donations that stores must pay to dispose of. The claim responds to growing frustration among shoppers over higher op-shop prices, highlighting the financial pressure that unusable items place on charities.
The volunteer said donated rubbish can include soiled clothing, worn-out shoes and damaged household items, all requiring disposal at commercial waste rates. Examples reportedly included a vomit-stained T-shirt, blood-stained underwear and cracked crockery; the volunteer said some workers had even taken rubbish home to avoid disposal costs.
- Poor-quality donations can increase op shops’ waste-disposal costs.
- A volunteer cited soiled clothing and damaged household goods.
- Rising costs may contribute to higher second-hand shop prices.
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Charity shops, often called op shops in Australia, sell donated clothing and household goods to raise money for charitable work. They rely on people giving items that can be safely cleaned, sorted and resold.
Shoppers have increasingly questioned why some second-hand goods cost more than expected. Stores must cover rent, wages, sorting and transport, while also deciding prices that bring in enough money for their services.
Donations that cannot be sold create extra work and can cost charities money to dispose of through commercial waste services. This has added to a wider discussion about what people should donate and how charity shops set their prices.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Charity shops have a duty to remain financially sustainable so that proceeds can support their services, and disposal costs for unusable donations directly reduce that funding. Pricing saleable items higher can reasonably help cover waste handling, rent, wages and sorting while preserving a source of affordable goods and preventing charities from subsidising people who treat donation bins as rubbish disposal.
The case against
Second-hand shops also serve shoppers on low incomes, who may feel excluded if prices rise beyond what genuinely reflects an item’s condition and local affordability. Critics can reasonably argue that charities should distinguish the unavoidable cost of poor donations from the pricing of ordinary stock, improve donor guidance and seek efficient waste arrangements rather than making budget-conscious customers bear too much of the burden.