Dunelm, the UK’s leading homewares retailer, has launched a trial across its 18 North West stores that will allow customers to donate pre-loved homeware items from any retailer, to be redistributed to local charities and community groups in the region.
Launched in the midst of Britain’s cost of living crisis, the scheme will enable customers to reduce household clutter without sending items to landfill, while benefitting those in their local communities who may otherwise go without essential homewares.
It is estimated 69.9 million homeware items are thrown away in the UK per year 1, with a recent report by the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) 2 estimating that reusing items currently discarded could save UK households between £2 and £8 billion per year.
Developed in partnership with environmental charity and behaviour change experts Hubbub, if successful, Home to Home will be rolled out nationwide across Dunelm’s full estate of 178 stores.
It’s the latest initiative from the retailer which encourages stores and customers to work collaboratively to help their local communities. It builds on the success of the brand’s successful Delivering Joy 2022 Christmas campaign, which in 2022 saw customers and store colleagues work together to donate an impressive 60,000 Christmas gifts to charities and regional organisations, including care homes and primary schools, across the UK.
As well as enabling Dunelm stores to play a bigger and more impactful role in their communities, Home to Home is the latest evolution of Dunelm’s commitment to help reduce the amount of household waste that ends up in landfill or going unused.
Dunelm CEO Nick Wilkinson said: “Our Home to Home trial offers customers in the North West a meaningful way of passing on their unwanted household items. At Dunelm we believe in the joy of being at home and by creating more homely environments for people that may be struggling to afford essential items, we can help start them on a new path to being self supporting and independent.”
Charities in the North West which will be receiving items from the scheme, and redistributing to those in need include Depaul UK, Stepping Stone Projects and The Wallich.
Simone Newman, UK Regional Director (North) for Depaul UK, which works to prevent and relieve the impact of homelessness on people’s lives said: “Depaul UK is really excited to participate in Dunelm’s Home to Home scheme. For young people who’ve experienced homelessness, having a safe and comfortable place to stay, with the things they need, is great for mental health and something of which to feel proud.”
Environmental charity Hubbub has helped the initiative come to life by supporting the creation of partnerships between Dunelm stores and the community charities.
Saskia Restorick, Director Of Impact from Hubbub said: “We’re delighted to be supporting Dunelm in testing and rolling out Home to Home, which makes it easy for customers to pass on their pre-loved homeware to others in their community who can benefit, via the range of inspiring community partners. Home to Home is supporting people in the community, avoiding
good things going to waste, and helping customers declutter. It just makes sense, and we’re excited to support Dunelm in scaling up even further.”
The 18 North West stores in the trial will accept pre-loved, usable, homeware items from any retailer including kitchenware and home décor items such clocks, vases, throws, curtains, cushions and small storage items.
Other notable product second life and repurposing schemes launched by Dunelm, part of its mission of long term sustainable growth, include its instore Textile Takeback scheme which has already seen 405 tonnes of unwanted fabric donated by customers since it launched last year, with approximately 65% of donated material reused, 20% repurposed and 15% recycled.
For more details on the Home to Home scheme, please visit: www.dunelm.com/info/pass-it-on-with-purpose
