Boohoo has announced that it will become the latest retailer to start charging shoppers for returning items.
Joining what is a growing list of companies, which now includes Uniqlo, Next, and Zara, online Manchester-based fast fashion retailer Boohoo has revealed that shoppers will now be charged a fee for returning items, reports Retail Week.
Customers will now have to pay £1.99 when they send unwanted goods back, and the cost will be deducted from the amount they are refunded.
Boohoo has said its decision to begin charging for returns comes amid the rising cost of shipping, and also after online shopping boomed during the COVID-19 pandemic and has continued to remain popular since.
The nature of online shopping often sees customers buy, and then more likely to return items bought online than they would in store – which raises costs for retailers.
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Boohoo has started charging shoppers £1.99 to return items / Credit: Boohoo
A 2020 study by the consultancy KPMG also found that up to half of clothing bought online is returned to some retailers, with the whole operation estimated to cost businesses about £7 billion a year.
Confirming the decision to begin charging customers for returns, a spokesperson for Boohoo said: “As the cost of shipping has increased, we’ve had to look at where we can adapt without compromising what our customers love most – the convenience of shopping with us and the great value that our brands offer.
“This has meant that we will be applying a charge of £1.99 to returns, so that we can continue to offer great prices and products and do this in a more sustainable way.”
The retailer its decision to begin charging for returns comes amid the rising cost of shipping / Credit: Boohoo
The charging for returns also comes after the retailer – which also owns brands including Debenhams, PrettyLittleThing, Dorothy Perkins, Wallis, and Burton – warned back in May it was likely going to be forced to put up clothing prices this year as it was needing to cut back on its sales and profit expectations.
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The retailer also hinted then that customers were returning more unwanted items than ever before post-pandemic.
Retail analysts said other retailers are now likely to follow suit in charging for returns.
Featured Image – Boohoo
News
Arrest made after 14-year-old boy found in critical condition on Market Street
Daisy Jackson
An arrest has been made after a teenage boy was found unresponsive on Market Street in Manchester city centre.
Detectives believe that the boy, 14, was approached by seven males who stole a designer jacket from him.
Following the altercation, he went into cardiac arrest and was rushed to hospital in a critical condition.
Thankfully, the teenager is continuing to recover well.
Detectives from Manchester City Centre Criminal Investigation Department confirmed that an 18-year-old male was arrested yesterday, Thursday 20 February.
He has been arrested on suspicion of robbery and remains in police custody.
Detective Inspector Mark Astbury of GMP’s City Centre Criminal Investigation Department, said: “We hope the victim can continue his recovery following what must have been a terrifying ordeal for him.
“Officers are fully investigating all aspects of this shocking incident that has left a man with serious injuries in hospital.
“Our work doesn’t stop here, we are continuing to investigate this incident and information from the public plays an incredibly important role in our investigations and I ask that the community keep talking to us and keep sharing their concerns with us so our teams can act.”
If you have any information, contact GMP 101 or 0161 856 4305 quoting log 2854 of 16/2/25.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials
Emily Sergeant
Trials are currently underway to see if comedy could be an alternative to antidepressants as a way to reduce NHS costs.
UK tech company Craic Health has secured important funding for its ‘comedy on prescription’ project that’s aimed at helping the Government work with the comedy industry, communities, and organisations on comedy-based social prescriptions in the hope that they can solve financial struggles within the NHS.
The groundbreaking scheme uses stand-up shows and workshops to help people who are isolated, lonely, and vulnerable.
Craic believes comedy is an ‘untapped opportunity’ to improve health and wellbeing, and has a goal to make comedy easier to access, so that it can help communities experience its mental health and social benefits.
To achieve this, the company has started trialling Comedy-on-Prescription experiences in the UK – starting in London, with the potential for expansion – which includes things like curated comedy panel game show events and workshops, and general stand-up comedy shows at some of the capital’s world-famous venues.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
“Mental health issues like loneliness, isolation, and stress are more common than ever,” the company explains.
“So much so that it’s projected that by 2030, mental health problems, particularly depression, will be the leading cause of mortality and morbidity globally, [but] in this challenging world, comedy stands out as a universal language that breaks barriers.
“Research shows that comedy and laughter have powerful effects – they bring people together, create positive connections, and make life more enjoyable.”
Craic Health says that social prescribing, of which Comedy-on-Prescription is a part of, is all about inclusivity, which makes it making it suitable for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.
Its focus is on personalised support, tailored to individual needs and preferences.
Emily Sergeant -
13th July 2022 
