Time to give those pandemic purchases a new lease of life?

Lots of us made impulse buys to help us through this year but what happens to those 'lockdown leftovers' now? By Vicky Shaw.

Charity shops and auction websites could soon be flooded with 'lockdown leftovers', as many households have spent money on items during the pandemic that they're now looking to get rid of.

Over recent months, UK adults have spent an average £770 each on dispensable items, according to Barclaycard Payments.

Men are thought to have shelled out more than women on such lockdown purchases, spending more than £1,000 typically.

What we bought

Takeaway food and drink was the most popular discretionary lockdown purchase, followed by summer wardrobe pieces, outdoor plants and flowers, baking ingredients and spirits, the research found.

Fitness gear was also popular, as people have kept up their exercise routines at home, while some have bought new pets. Some of the more bizarre items bought included an inflatable pub.

Why we bought it

Of those who made lockdown purchases, a third (33%) said they helped make lockdown more "enjoyable" and 28% made selections they thought would make themselves, or their family, happy.

Families with children at home have been splashing out quite literally. Barclaycard Payments quoted one family, the Ellisons from Epsom in Surrey, who invested £140 in a paddling pool and giant inflatables for their back garden, to help their eight and five-year-old children make the most of the summer.

Expressing feelings many families will sympathise with, they said: "We felt it was really important to create opportunities for fun at home, being that our normal life of school, clubs and seeing friends and family was on hold temporarily." The family say the children have spent hours in the pool. They've also kept them entertained with garden sports games, which they say have been "fantastic".

Where are lockdown purchases going now?

Not everyone is as happy as the Ellisons with their pandemic purchases, however.

One in five (20%) people now plan to give away items bought during lockdown to charity. With an average estimated value of £65.90 per donation, this could give the charity sector a much-needed boost, after many fundraising events have been cancelled due to Covid-19.

A third (33%) of those donating say it's time to pass on their items for

someone else to enjoy. A quarter (25%) believe their purchases are taking up too much space, and just over a fifth (21%) are now bored with them. Selling items no longer wanted on auction websites could also help some people fill gaps in their budgets.

Kirsty Morris, managing director for account development at Barclaycard Payments, says: "For those looking to offload some of their lockdown leftovers, there are plenty of resale sites, or local social media pages that can help recoup some of the original purchase price, and ensure these short-lived items get another lease of life."