House-to-house stock collections for charity shops made up just 3 per cent of the total stock collected by retailers who participated in the Charity Retail Association’s latest stock survey.

The proportion of stock coming from house collections has fallen steadily since 2008 when it was 19 per cent and it was 6 per cent last year.  

At the same time the proportion of donations made directly to shops hit 80 per cent for the first time.

Warren Alexander, chief executive of the Charity Retail Association (CRA), said: “It is great to see our members embrace change, this leads to them developing innovative ways to maximise stock donations. As one method declines, our members develop new ways of finding stock”. 

The CRA survey was carried out between July and September 2013 with 37 charities taking part, covering 2,286 shops.  

According to the CRA most retailers’ perception of total stock volumes is that they have increased in the last 12 months. Respondents to last year’s Charity Shop Survey, published by published by Charity Finance and Fundraising, were more concerned about ‘poor quality donated stock’ than ‘lack of donated stock’.