Oxfam sales highlight consumer budget squeeze

UK charity Oxfam has reported a significant sales boost at its high street shops over the Christmas period.

The charity's 700 shops saw like-for-like sales increase by 5 per cent over the 14 weeks to December 31 and an 11 per cent increase in total revenue over the five week Christmas period.

Festive shoppers keen to pick up second-hand bargains appear to have helped the charity achieve some of its best sales figures for five years. According to a report by the Independent newspaper, Oxfam saw 23 per cent more second-hand items sold this Christmas, compared to 2010. 

Bedroom furniture, a wide variety of household goods, books, music, clothes and Christmas decorations all helped bring in shoppers keen to make their festive budgets stretch as far as possible.

Asked for his opinion on the sales increase, Oxfam's trading director, Andrew Horton said: "I suspect people are looking at channels where they can get better value. But we are also trying to improve the shop environment and made efforts to make Christmas at our shops an event this year."

Oxfam witnessed a 1 per cent increase in the volume of donations made by members of the public in December, reversing the decline experienced during the rest of 2011. Mr Horton said the charity had made a major effort to boost donations and that it will now be looking to build on last month's increase.