Oxfam’s Scottish shops enjoyed a bumper Christmas trading period, with sales hitting a five-year high.
Oxfam’s total retail sales in Scotland over the eight week Christmas period (29 October to 23 December 2017) were up 1.4% on the same period in 2016, raising nearly £1.2 million towards the organisation’s lifesaving work.
The extra money raised this Christmas compared to last could help provide clean safe water for 16,200 people in an emergency.
Sales in Scotland were driven by the organisation’s network of 45 high street shops, which also support the Oxfam Online Shop. Products listed on the site by shops in Scotland drove an incredible 11.6% increase in online sales as shoppers looked for an easy way to buy ethical gifts and cards that fight extreme poverty at the same time.
Meanwhile high street sales across Scotland were boosted by the Sourced by Oxfam range of ethically sourced new products, with growth of 8.5% versus last year as customers returned to buy their Christmas cards and fair trade gifts. Among the top selling lines were rolls of gift wrap, crackers, Christmas cards, chocolate advent calendars and chocolate coins.
Oxfam’s shop in St Andrews saw the biggest growth in sales this Christmas, with sales up a whopping 30% on last year. The South Street shop had the second highest sales growth of Oxfam’s 620 shops across the UK.
All of the money raised by Oxfam goes towards the organisation’s work to fight poverty and injustice around the world. In the last financial year, Oxfam responded to 31 humanitarian emergencies, from Yemen to South Sudan, providing aid to 8.6 million people.
Tom Richardson, Oxfam’s Operations Manager for Scotland and the North of England, said: “I’d like to say an enormous thank you to everyone who’s supported Oxfam’s shops across Scotland over the Christmas period – our customers, volunteers and staff should all be proud of the money they’ve raised to help the world’s poorest people.
“We’re delighted by the healthy growth in sales, despite snow in the run up to the festive period. As well as raising vital funds, Oxfam’s shops are community hubs; vibrant spaces where people work, volunteer, donate, shop and interact.”
Oxfam expects to receive a new wave of donations as people across Scotland begin post-Christmas clear outs, and the organisation is appealing for people to consider volunteering in their local shop.
Richardson added: “Oxfam relies on the goodwill and generosity of our volunteer team to keep our shops open – and we’re always looking for more help. We’ve all got the power to help change the world and everyone who volunteers in our shops is doing their bit, in their own way, to help create a fairer future for everyone.”
Volunteers are asked to give as little as four hours a week of their time and can take up a range of vital roles, from serving customers to sorting donations and arranging window displays.
Find out more about volunteering at Oxfam here.
For more information please contact Rebecca Lozza, Media and Communications Officer, Oxfam Scotland, on 0141 285 8875 or RLozza1@Oxfam.org.uk
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Notes to Editors:
- Oxfam has 45 high street shops across Scotland selling donated fashion, books, music, home wares and the Sourced by Oxfam range of new products. The shops are supported by a workforce of around 1,000 shop volunteers.
- 19 Oxfam shops in Scotland support Oxfam’s Online Shop – which became the UK’s first online charity shop when it launched in 2007. Shops across the Scotland upload new items to the online shop every day, and shoppers can find thousands of unique treasures all in one place.
- All profits from sales from Oxfam’s Online Shop and high street shops support the charity’s work to end the injustice of extreme poverty around the world.