For UK retailers targeting thrifty shoppers, it looks like Norwich, Nottingham and Manchester will take some beating. Norwich ranks as the best city for thrift shopping in the UK, with four charity shops per square mile or 60 across the city, according to a report from The Co-operative Bank.

Nottingham comes in second and boasts over four charity shops per square mile and 127 city-wide. The city also features 43 car boot sales.
Meanwhile, Manchester takes the crown for the best online thrifting options with 1,123 Gumtree listings for every 10,000 Mancunians.

​Rounding out the top-10 city high scorers are Cambridge, Oxford, Southampton, Derby, Portsmouth, Bristol and Leeds.

As the cost-of-living crisis continues, almost half of people living in England and Wales are turning to charity shops or considering secondhand alternatives to stretch their budgets, the report says. 

And with over 11,200 charity shops across the country, “thrifting is becoming an increasingly popular way to save money while embracing sustainable fashion”.

The Co-op Bank’s research examined data on the number of charity shops, car boot sales, and online Gumtree listings while also consulting a fashion expert “to learn how [Britons] can score the best bargains in second-hand shops.

Sophie McHale, public relations lead at The Co-operative Bank said: “Every week, 13 million items end up in landfill, and second-hand shopping can prevent more landfill waste from accumulating. On top of that, [shoppers] save up to 25% per item, which could add up to £185 a year.”