The initiative, “Sorted”, asks people to consider whether items they donate have the potential for resale or if they would be better recycled or binned. Oxfam said it spends £500,000 per year on sorting, storing and disposing unsuitable donations which it pointed out was almost as much as its entire project spend in Rwanda or Eritrea in 2005.

It also said that costs were set to rise due to proposed landfill tax increases as well as proposed legislation concerning the disposal of electrical equipment, and people are being asked to use common sense - or ask inside the shop - when making donations.