Third of young people will sell on presents

A THIRD of young people are planning to resell their Christmas presents online, research suggests.

One in six people (16 per cent) is planning to list unwanted Christmas gifts on resale websites this year, according to Barclays.

Among 18 to 34-year-olds, nearly three in 10 (29 per cent) plan to sell unwanted Christmas gifts on, the survey found.

The most likely items to be listed for resale were unwanted clothes, shoes and accessories; children’s toys and games; and beauty products.

Meanwhile, shoppers expect to spend £253 in the festive sales on average – £24 more than in 2022, the survey found. While 30 per cent planned to browse second-hand websites for bargains.

Karen Johnson, head of retail at Barclays, said: “The emphasis on second-hand buying and selling reflects both a savvy approach to spending as well as a broader societal awareness of the need for more mindful consumption.” About 2,000 people across the UK were surveyed by Opinium in November and December.

This year, a survey in January showed that one in six people had either resold or were planning to resell items bought for them at Christmas.

Research by Yodel found that the most common reason for selling on a gift was to help with the cost of living (27 per cent) while 24 per cent returned gifts that did not suit their style, 22 per cent resold gifts they could not return or exchange, and 18 per cent resold gifts where they had been bought two of the same present.

Last year’s survey also showed that younger people were much more likely to sell on gifts than older relatives, with just 3 per cent of those aged 55 or over said they would be doing so.