More and more people are turning to charity shops to buy their clothes in the cost of living crisis. Some charities have said sales are up to a whopping 22% when compared to pre-pandemic times. The reason for such a soaring demand may come down to the fact that shoppers are looking to save money where possible.

Salvation Army revealed retail sales are over 22% higher than pre-pandemic trading, with some retail shops trading at more than double. Sarah Heaney, Regional Manager for Salvation Army Trading Company, told “I News”: “We keep our prices reasonable and affordable and at this time of increasing fuel, energy, and other costs, we believe this is one of the reasons why we are attracting new customers into our shops as well as welcoming our existing customers.”

Meanwhile, Marie Curie charity shops in the UK have also seen increased popularity recently. The driving demand has spread across all products including second-hand clothes. The rising rate of inflation, the cost of living crisis, and increased public awareness of sustainability when it comes to shopping, are the main factors.

A substantial amount of thrift hunters, however, opt for charity shops not because of financial reasons but rather in a bid to find some vintage gems. Rare and old-school clothing pieces, as well as accessories, jewelry, and shoes, are huge right now so no wonder that the prices are not staying frozen.

In fact, an expert in thrift hunting and the creator of “Ridiculous Thrifter” named Sean Fowlow previously told Bored Panda that just about everything has gone up in price.

According to him, there are a few reasons why thrift buyers have to open their wallets more these days. “Partly because of inflation, but I would have to argue it’s mostly because of the explosion in popularity of re-selling used items on the internet for extra income,” he said.

Fowlow argues that “the thrift shop owners have caught on to this and are now researching the current market values of items before pricing them for sale,” so in some cases the prices may be inflated deliberately. He recounted how several years ago, a particular thrift shop would have a set price for all video games of $3.99. “Now, at most shops, you will find the more valuable games priced separately and locked in a glass showcase with a price tag of whatever it sells for currently on eBay.”

It’s the same for retro toys, collectibles, and cookware now as well. “The days of finding a treasure for cheap at a thrift store are unfortunately almost behind us,” Fowlow told us in a previous interview.