Majority of Brits would be happy to give and receive second-hand Christmas gifts, as cost-of-living pressures continue

• 65% of people surveyed who celebrate Christmas would be happy to either give or receive a gift from second-hand sellers such as Vinted, Depop or eBay
• With over two-fifths (43%) of Brits surveyed saying they’ve recently started buying from second-hand sites, almost half (49%*) say it’s because new products have become more expensive

With many households feeling squeezed in the run up to Christmas, TSB research reveals 65% people surveyed who celebrate Christmas would be happy to give or receive second-hand gifts. This comes as 26% of people surveyed who are worried about how affordable Christmas will be say they want to spend less overall on Christmas this year.

The polling of 2,001 UK adults by TSB found that over two-fifths (43%) of those surveyed have recently started buying from second-hand shopping sites such as Vinted, Depop, eBay or charity shops. Almost half (49%*) of those buying second-hand say it’s because new products have become more expensive.

Consumers are also keen to reduce their environmental impact with 32%* saying this has driven them to second-hand sites.

The shift towards buying from second-hand sellers is growing and TSB’s own data reveals a 105% increase in the value of debit card sales to Vinted among customers year-on-year when comparing October 2022 vs October 2023.

The number of debit card transactions to Vinted has almost doubled during the same period from 154,000 in October 2022 to 301,000 transactions made in October 2023.

Nicola Bannister, Financial Support Director at TSB said: “Looking ahead to Christmas, with the cost-of-living pressures continuing, many people are looking to second-hand shopping. We’re seeing buying and selling on second-hand sites becoming a growing trend at TSB: not only does it allow people to support charities and local businesses, it also counteracts the rising cost of new items, and reduces the impact on the environment.”

TSB data reveals that of those customers that shop at Vinted; 81% are female with 74% aged under 45.

TSB’s research also reveals that amongst those aged between 16 – 44 who typically shop at second-hand sites:

• Over 60% of 16-24-year-olds have recently started buying from second-hand sites versus 29% of over 55s
• 16-24-year-olds are most likely to be driven to second-hand shopping because of the price of new products (48%*)
• 41%* of over 55s buy from second-hand sellers because they want to support charities and local businesses while 51%* say it’s because new items have become more expensive
• Over 55s are the most environmentally conscious age-group with 39%* saying they shop second-hand because they want to reduce their impact on the environment, versus:
  • 30%* 16-24-year olds
  • 28%* 25-34-year-olds
  • 34%* 35-44-year-olds
  • 28%* 45-54-year olds

Notes to editors