Rising Costs Force BHF to Shut 150 Stores
The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has announced plans to close approximately 150 of its charity shops over the next two years, citing a challenging retail environment and increasing operating expenses.
Following a review of its retail operations, the charity said that some stores are no longer financially viable due to higher costs and changing customer shopping habits. Despite the planned closures, the BHF emphasized that its overall financial position remains strong, supported by healthy fundraising and legacy income.
The organization currently operates 640 shops across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. The proposed closures represent just under a quarter of its retail network. Around 90 stores are expected to close by March 2027, with the remaining affected locations scheduled to shut by March 2028.
The BHF said details of the stores affected will be published on its website after employees and volunteers have been informed. In addition to the shop closures, the charity plans to reduce the size of the central teams that support its retail operations.
Chief Executive Charmaine Griffiths described the decision as difficult but necessary.
“Like most retailers, we are facing an exceptionally challenging trading environment,” she said. “Cardiovascular disease remains one of the UK’s biggest killers, and our priority is funding research that saves lives. To maintain retail’s contribution to this work, we must take the difficult step of closing some shops.”
The charity stressed that no single issue was responsible for the decision. Alongside its physical stores and donation points, the BHF operates online retail channels through its website and eBay and plans to continue adapting its retail strategy to reflect changing consumer and donor behavior.
The announcement follows similar action by another major charity retailer. Last year, Cancer Research UK revealed plans to close around 90 high street shops by May 2026 and up to 100 more by April 2027, while also investing in 12 new out-of-town superstores over the next two yearsThe British Heart Foundation (BHF) has announced plans to close approximately 150 of its charity shops over the next two years, citing a challenging retail environment and increasing operating expenses.
Following a review of its retail operations, the charity said that some stores are no longer financially viable due to higher costs and changing customer shopping habits. Despite the planned closures, the BHF emphasized that its overall financial position remains strong, supported by healthy fundraising and legacy income.
The organization currently operates 640 shops across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. The proposed closures represent just under a quarter of its retail network. Around 90 stores are expected to close by March 2027, with the remaining affected locations scheduled to shut by March 2028.
The BHF said details of the stores affected will be published on its website after employees and volunteers have been informed. In addition to the shop closures, the charity plans to reduce the size of the central teams that support its retail operations.
Chief Executive Charmaine Griffiths described the decision as difficult but necessary.
“Like most retailers, we are facing an exceptionally challenging trading environment,” she said. “Cardiovascular disease remains one of the UK’s biggest killers, and our priority is funding research that saves lives. To maintain retail’s contribution to this work, we must take the difficult step of closing some shops.”
The charity stressed that no single issue was responsible for the decision. Alongside its physical stores and donation points, the BHF operates online retail channels through its website and eBay and plans to continue adapting its retail strategy to reflect changing consumer and donor behavior.
The announcement follows similar action by another major charity retailer. Last year, Cancer Research UK revealed plans to close around 90 high street shops by May 2026 and up to 100 more by April 2027, while also investing in 12 new out-of-town superstores over the next two years.
