More than 114 million pairs of trainers are sitting idle in UK households – and England rugby star Maro Itoje is urging Brits to donate their unused sports shoes to help more people get active
More than 100 million pairs of unworn trainers are languishing in UK households.
Approximately 114 million pairs of trainers are gathering dust in wardrobes nationwide and could be given a new lease of life, fresh research has shown.
Yet over 80% of Britons say they would be willing to donate them if they knew it helped someone else become more active.
According to a survey of 2,000 people, the typical Brit possesses five pairs, though nearly a third (30%) admit they have pairs still in their original packaging that they’ll never use.
Uncertainty about whether the trainers are suitable for reuse is the primary reason they aren’t given another chance (30%), while 21% say they’ve never even considered donating their trainers, reports the Daily Star.
One in nine (11%) also admit they don’t know how or where to donate them. The study by Vitality Health and Life Insurance has revealed that the typical household possesses 10 pairs of trainers, spending roughly £66 on each pair.
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With 31% of Britons saying they own enough pairs to wear a different one every single day.
Despite so many pairs lying unused, half (50%) of Britons say they have found it difficult to afford trainers, with 35% acknowledging the expense has affected their ability to exercise or remain active. In response to this, England rugby captain Maro Itoje and Vitality have launched Give2Move, a fresh initiative aimed at improving access to trainers, enabling more people to get active – helping to eliminate a key obstacle to exercise and the health benefits that accompany it.
Even when no longer worn, many trainers are kept hold of. Over half (53%) admit to hanging onto pairs that remain in good condition, while nearly half (47%) keep them ‘just in case’, leaving millions sitting unused in homes up and down the country.
Sheffield and Belfast are the unused trainer capitals of the UK, with more than three pairs per person gathering dust. 18-24 year olds are the most likely to lose interest in a pair of trainers (41%), with 45-54 year olds hoarding the greatest number of pairs (three pairs).
On average, it takes just over a year (15 months) for Brits to develop trainer fatigue and splash out on a new pair.
The most popular uses of trainers across the UK are walking for exercise (74%), gym workouts (28%) and running (28%), according to the data.
Yet not all unworn shoes are simply gathering dust – one in four (39%) say they donate their used trainers to charity, one in six (18%) say they recycle them, and 16% say they flog them online.
Most Brits hold onto their trainers because they believe they might wear them again at some point (49%), while 42% say they keep them because they remain in good condition. Convenient drop-off points (47%) and environmental advantages (28%) are amongst the leading reasons that would encourage people to donate their unwanted shoes.
With the gap in physical activity between the most and least deprived communities continuing to widen, Give2Move is urging people to part with trainers they no longer use, with the goal of collecting 1 million pairs over the next five years to help more people across the UK get active – a mission that sits at the very heart of Vitality.
Maro Itoje kicked off the campaign at Battersea Park Run and said: “Staying active should be something everyone can access, but for some people, not having the right kit can be a real barrier. I know first-hand how important regular activity is for both mental and physical health, which is why it’s so important we all come together to break down the barriers that exists to getting active. Being part of Give2Move means I can be part of this movement to ensure no one can say that trainers are why they are not moving more.”
Dr Milly Marshall, Medical Advisor at Vitality, added: “Regular physical activity is one of the most important things we can do for our overall health, helping to reduce the risk of chronic conditions supporting our mental wellbeing. But for some people, not having the right kit, including access to trainers, can be a genuine barrier to getting active. Initiatives like Give2Move can play an important role in helping to remove that barrier and make activity more accessible to more people.”
Vitality has introduced Give2Move in collaboration with Shoe Aid and JogOn. Collection points will be set up at Vitality Partners nationwide, with further details to be announced on Vitality.co.uk shortly.
For additional information on Give2Move, visit this link.
