12 items UK’s most popular charity shop will not accept as donation

It’s that time of year where people begin to think about spring cleaning or are still reluctantly clearing out the things they swore to get rid of at the close last year.

With that comes a lot of trips to the good old charity shop, where donated items for free can be sold for money that is then donated to a good cause.

The UK’s most popular spot for bargain hunting is the British Heart Foundation, which, according to The Big Issue, boasts close to 700 shops across the country – making it the most widespread chain.

While they sell all kinds of items, from homeware to clothing, books, and other entertainment products, there is a long list of the things that they will turn away.

It’s always good to check with the staff working within the shop, but to save yourself the time and effort, here are some prohibited items that may not have even crossed your mind as a legal or health and safety issue.

It turns out, one man’s trash is not always another man’s treasure but instead a whole load of paperwork and legal debate that the store will avoid at any cost.

Clothing items

Of course the biggest seller for most charity shops, and the handiest thing to offload as a donation, is clothes you no longer want.

But who knew there were so many things that the British Heart Foundation claims to not accept, along with many other charity shop brands?

Fancy dress costumes can be a big no-go, and so the shop refuses to accept adult fancy dress that does not contain a ‘keep away from fire’ or ‘low flammability’ label. As for children, there must be a CE/UKCA mark or also have the same labels.

The same goes for nightwear, so any nightdresses, pyjamas, dressing gowns or robes, children’s or adult sizes, must contain flammable warning labels, or they cannot be sold.

Surprisingly, an item that is point-blank not able to be sold is any children’s garment with drawstring hoods. According to their website, they also refuse homemade knitted items of clothing.

Furntiure items

This charity shop, the British Heart Foundation, also famously has stores dedicated solely to furniture and homeware. So, it’s important to consider these key items which they are continuously turning away.

Overall, the same as any other donatable place, they expect the items to be in good condition, but there are some specific details to look out for.

For example, they refuse to accept any used pillows, duvets or quilts, as well as cushions, cushion covers and upholstery covers, unless a fire warning label is attached.

The charity shop cannot accept donations of any furniture that has been painted with lead paint. Similarly, any other upholstered items that do not have a fire safety label will also be rejected.

Children’s items

Like most charity shops, they take children’s safety very seriously, and therefore the list of items they cannot accept to be sold for little ones is a hell of a lot longer.

They will turn away car seats and booster seats as well as prams, pushchairs and buggies. While plenty of people would benefit from this second-hand equipment, the items pose too much of a health and safety risk to sell as second-hand items.

With this in mind, the child-related equipment doesn’t quite stop there; the store will refuse to accept cots, high chairs, safety gates and playpens.

Along the same lines, they do not sell any second-hand inflatable beds, dinghies or toys for the water, and therefore will not accept them as donations.

Other items

There are a number of other items that are slightly more obvious that the British Heart Foundation states as something they cannot sell, particularly for hygiene reasons. This includes personal appliances such as electric shavers or foot spas, unless they are brand new and sealed, as well as prescription glasses.

Any sort of weapon cannot be accepted as a donation, and any item that poses as a serious danger – which includes a lot of gas- and oil-based equipment. Electrical blankets, electrical hoists, oil lamps, oil heaters, power tools and washing machines are just a few of these items considered not resalable for charity.

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