Almost all say no
9 refuse it outright — but 1 takes it under conditions. Evidence: 10 direct.
Why shops refuse it
Almost impossible to sell now, so many shops have stopped taking them (pre-recorded originals are the exception at some).
What to do instead
Tapes are hard to recycle — some specialist schemes take them; check before binning.
Charity by charity
-
Can't accept
Acorns Children's Hospice
Also excludes free CDs/DVDs given away with magazines or newspapers.
Their wording
“VHS or free CDs/DVDs from magazines or papers”
-
Can't accept
Age UK
Grouped with cassettes.
Their wording
“videotapes and cassettes”
-
Can't accept
Cornwall Hospice Care
Also audio cassettes
Their wording
“Videos or audio cassettes”
-
Can't accept
Dogs Trust
Their wording
“VHS tapes”
-
Can't accept
LOROS Hospice
Also excludes cassettes
Their wording
“Videos/cassettes”
-
Can't accept
Overgate Hospice
Their wording
“Video (VHS) or audio cassette tapes”
-
Can't accept
St Christopher's Hospice
Their wording
“VHS videos”
-
Can't accept
St Peter's Hospice
Their wording
“VCR videos”
-
Can't accept
Trinity Hospice (Blackpool)
Their wording
“Video recorders / tapes”
-
Check first
Samaritans
Unless new or sealed; DVDs, videos and cassettes grouped together.
Their wording
“DVDs, videos, cassettes”
Not mentioned in 34 charities' guidance
Absence from a charity's list doesn't mean they accept it — it just isn't singled out. Ask your local shop.
- Not mentioned Barnardo's
- Not mentioned British Heart Foundation
- Not mentioned British Red Cross
- Not mentioned Cancer Research UK
- Not mentioned Claire House Children's Hospice
- Not mentioned Crisis
- Not mentioned DEBRA
- Not mentioned Dorothy House
- Not mentioned Emmaus
- Not mentioned FARA Charity Shops
- Not mentioned Great Western Air Ambulance Charity
- Not mentioned Keech Hospice Care
- Not mentioned Marie Curie
- Not mentioned Octavia Foundation
- Not mentioned Oxfam
- Not mentioned PDSA
- Not mentioned Phyllis Tuckwell
- Not mentioned Princess Alice Hospice
- Not mentioned Salvation Army (SATCoL)
- Not mentioned Save the Children
- Not mentioned Scope
- Not mentioned Sense Scotland
- Not mentioned Shaw Trust
- Not mentioned Shelter
- Not mentioned St Barnabas Hospice (Lincolnshire)
- Not mentioned St Giles Hospice
- Not mentioned St Vincent de Paul Society (SVP)
- Not mentioned Sue Ryder
- Not mentioned The Children's Trust
- Not mentioned Traid
- Not mentioned Wales Air Ambulance
- Not mentioned Willen Hospice
- Not mentioned Woodgreen Pets Charity
- Not mentioned YMCA (England & Wales)