Oxfam Reviews UK Warehouses Amid Retail Losses
Oxfam is reviewing its UK warehouse operations and high street shops following two years of losses and increased competition from online secondhand marketplaces.
The international charity Oxfam is conducting an operational review of its three UK warehouses in Batley, Bicester, and Milton Keynes. The organization stated it cannot guarantee the future of its high street shops due to a difficult economic climate, though it denies having current plans to close any sites.
Internal sources suggest the charity is considering the closure of up to 100 of its 500-plus UK outlets. The Batley textile recycling centre is specifically identified as a potential closure site as its lease expires. These pressures follow two consecutive years of losses exceeding £2 million at Oxfam Activities, the charity's trading arm, and a 7% drop in sales for the year ending March 2025.
Oxfam faces a decline in donations and increased competition from online secondhand marketplaces such as Vinted. To adapt to these shifts, the charity has opened a second superstore in Manchester, brought order fulfilment in-house, and launched an online rental service.
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