Zeek launches gift card swap shop at Westfield

Posted by Harriet Cramer

Rita Simmons, appeared at the Zeek Cash or Kind swap shop in Westfield, Stratford today helping shoppers swap unwanted gift cards for cash or donate the value to The Childrens Trust. Eastenders’ Rita Simons swaps Albert Square for Westfield to launch swap-shop for unwanted gift cards. • Zeek’s ‘Cash or Kind’ store at Westfield Stratford allows members of the public to swap unwanted gift cards for cash to keep or donate the value to charity • 47% of Brits admit they have received an unwanted gift card or voucher, with £300million wasted every year Today, former Eastenders star Rita Simons swapped her market stall in Albert Square to launch a pop-up shop in Westfield, Stratford. The shop allows members of the public to exchange their unwanted gift cards for cash or donate the value to The Children’s Trust, a leading charity for children suffering from brain injury. The swap-shop, open for one day only, was set up by Europe’s biggest gift card marketplace, Zeek, in response to new research showing that 47% of Brits have at one time received an unwanted gift card or voucher, with an estimated £300million of unused credit in the UK every year. The vast majority of unwanted items will be re-sold (23%) or re-gifted (33%), however one in seven (14%) will never see the light of day, gathering dust in drawers or even being relegated to the bin. The gift card swap shop comes at the perfect time of year as, contrary to widespread belief, the most popular week for returning unwanted items is the second week of January, with 15% choosing to wait until the festivities have died down before hitting the high street. A sizeable 70% of us even went as far as to say they actively avoid the shops between Boxing Day and the New Year with half of us citing crowds as a reason to avoid the high street. Rita Simons, who exited the popular BBC soap in an explosive storyline over New Year, opened the shop, as eager shoppers got ready to exchange their unwanted gift

Former Eastenders star Rita Simons helped launch the Cash or Kind pop-up shop in Westfield, Stratford. The shop allows members of the public to exchange their unwanted gift cards for cash or donate the value to The Children’s Trust.

The swap-shop was set up by gift card marketplace, Zeek, in response to new research showing that 47% of Brits have at one time received an unwanted gift card or voucher, with an estimated £300million of unused credit in the UK every year.

Rita Simons, former Eastenders actress, opened the shop. Shoppers could either swap their unwanted gifts for cash or donate the value to The Children’s Trust charity,with Zeek promising to match the charity donation.

Rita said: “I have a shrewd eye for a bargain –so receiving cash for a gift voucher which might go to waste is a win-win and even better if it can be donated to a good cause. It was heartening to see so many generous people kicking off 2017 with a good deed in aid of The Children’s Trust.”

Zeek CEO, Daniel Zelkind, said: “Every year millions of people receive unwanted gift cards that expire before they can be used or just end up in the bin. The Cash or Kind gift card exchange brings our online marketplace to life in the real-world, showing how Zeek helps people avoid this unnecessary waste and make money or save money.”

Jane Shufflebotham at The Children’s Trust, said: “This is a great way for people to exchange their unwanted gift cards and help raise money for charity at the same time. Every year over 40,000 children in the UK are left with a brain injury as a result of an accident or illness. Many children make a good recovery, but thousands have to live with ongoing, long-term difficulties. The Children’s Trust helps children to make the best recovery possible through brain injury rehabilitation and through community support across the county. Every penny raised helps us make a difference.”

 

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