OXFAM REVIEWS WAREHOUSE BUSINESS – Oxfam says it can’t guarantee the future of charity shops
Oxfam is reviewing the operations of its three warehouses in Batley, Bicester and Milton Keynes and says it “cannot give guarantees” on the future of its high street shops in a “difficult economic climate”.
The charity said it had no plans to close warehouses or shops but insiders fear that Batley, which houses Oxfam’s main textile recycling centre, will shut as part of a cost-cutting drive because the West Yorkshire site’s lease is up for renewal.
All three warehouses together employ about 90 people.
A source said Oxfam was considering closing up to 100 of its 500-plus UK outlets as sales at some were no longer viable. “Donations have dropped off,” the insider said, adding that the charity’s shops were also facing competition from online sellers of secondhand goods such as Vinted.
Sales fell by 7% in the year to March 2025, driven by a slump in income from recycling. This division of the business does not include direct income from the stores.
