EBAY LAUNCHES ‘EBAY’S BIG CHARITY SELL’ TO RAISE VITAL FUNDS FOR CHARITY AND REDUCE FLY TIPPING

To support charities across the UK, “eBay’s Big Charity Sell” launches today – calling for the nation to sell their unwanted items on eBay and donate up to 100% of the proceeds to a charity of their choice, helping raise vital funds for good causes and reduce waste.

eBay UK has today revealed that an estimated £51 million worth of unwanted items are going to waste through fly tipping outside closed charity shops. While the majority (57%) of the nation have been using the lockdown as an opportunity to spring clean their homes, eight in 10 claimed to know of no other alternative to taking unwanted items to a physical charity shop. This has resulted in almost half (48%) admitting  to binning items, with a further one in five openly admitting to fly tipping in a bid to rid unwanted items from their homes.

eBay data released today also reveals that the average UK home is sitting on 42 unwanted items, worth an estimated £2,600. The online marketplace hopes its new campaign will help inspire the nation to declutter for good and prevent an alternative to flytipping, by selling unwanted items via eBay UK and choosing to donate up to 100% of the sale to charity. From 10-100%, sellers simply check the box that says “Donate a portion to charity” and select the percentage they want to donate.

Rob Hattrell, Vice President at eBay UK, said: “We have estimated that if every household in the UK sold just one unwanted item, and donated 100% of the sale proceeds to charity, a staggering £187 million of crucial funds could be raised. Considering this, alongside the fact that an estimated £51 million worth of unwanted items are going to waste due to fly tipping during lockdown, we have launched eBay’s Big Charity Sell. We’re calling for donations to be sold through eBay for Charity, with proceeds going towards charities to help replenish vital funds during the Covid-19 pandemic .”

Julie Byard, Director of Trading at Cancer Research UK, said: “Like so many dedicated charity teams across the country, the staff and volunteers that run our shops are immensely proud of the amount they usually raise to support good causes. Due to Covid 19, we can’t open our shop doors at the moment which means we’re not raising money to beat cancer.

The global pandemic is going to cause huge strain on charities in the coming months. Now more than ever, we need support. eBay’s Big Charity Sell is a fantastic and fun way for people to help charities from the comfort of their homes so please do declutter, donate and nominate a loved one to do the same.”