The number of people planning to do some of their Christmas shopping in a charity shop has increased significantly in the last year.

This year 38 per cent of people surveyed by YouGov said that they were likely to buy a gift from a charity shop, compared to 28 per cent in 2011.

Andrew Horton, director of trading at Oxfam, which commissioned the survey, welcomed the results after a "slow burning" festive shopping period: “It appears that we’re not alone in noticing a slower October and November but the results of this research are a boost to confidence as we head towards the last minute Christmas rush.”

YouGov carried out an online survey of 2,138 adults at the end of November, and also found that people in the East Midlands and Scotland were most likely to do some of their shopping in a charity shop.

Of those shopping in charity shops, almost half (47 per cent) said that it was because giving to charity is important at Christmas, 30 per cent said it was the products on offer with 29 per cent looking for ethical gifts, 28 per cent looking for vintage items and 27 per cent attracted by the high quality of items available.

Christmas cards are the most popular item (58 per cent) followed by books (44 per cent) and ethical products (32 per cent).