It’s safe to say that most people have received unwanted gifts during the holidays. But, new research from Depop, the community-powered circular fashion marketplace, has revealed shocking metrics over the number of gifts that are thrown away come January. Over a quarter of Millennials will get rid of gifted clothing and accessories after Christmas, with an average value of £40.
New research from Depop reveals over a quarter of Brits (27%) have thrown away Christmas presents in their lifetime, rising to 34% of Millennials. This results in a mountain of waste and hard-earned money down the drain.
On average, Brits dispose of at least one gift each with a typical value of £34 when January rolls around, resulting in £1.2 billion worth of waste.
Depop’s research reveals a quarter (25%) of 25–34-year-olds will get rid of gifted clothing and accessories after Christmas. With an average value of £40, this age group is creating £91 million worth of fashion waste.
Top reasons that people are throwing away gifts this year include items not suiting their taste (38%), already owning something similar (30%) and not having space to keep them (29%).
Depop, which is on a mission to make fashion circular, is urging gift receivers to sell unwanted items on its marketplace. Why not turn unwanted gifts into cash?
Despite 40% of Brits claiming they would like to sell unwanted gifts on a secondhand platform, 34% said they’re not sure whether it’s polite. Despite this, 45% of Brits admit to using resale apps in the past month to sell or buy.
Justine Porterie, Director of Sustainability and DEI at Depop, said: “We’re encouraging people to think secondhand, first, when it comes to giving and receiving gifts this year. What better way to show someone you care, by choosing an extra-special one-of-a-kind gift, which is also kinder to the planet? To really drive this secondhand gifting movement, we’re also urging people to let their loved ones know they would much rather receive a secondhand gift than something new.
“If you’ve received something at Christmas that isn’t quite right for you, the chances are it will be perfect for someone else, so we’d like to encourage as many people as possible to keep it circular! It’s easier than ever to sell on Depop, with AI-powered listing taking out the legwork and pricing recommendations to help you out. Not only will you be keeping your unwanted items from cluttering your home or ending up in landfill, but you’ll also earn some extra cash for the new year.”
