A recession-proof industry, resale attracts consumers who want to purchase quality goods at a discount. A recent survey by the National Association of Resale and Thrift Shops (U.S. based), 64.1% of resale store respondents said their sales had increased an average of 31%, while 77.9% of resale store respondents reported new customers. Resale stores often screen what they will sell; Goodwill and other thrift shops often refuse to sell product categories that have been heavily covered in media for being recalled, such as baby items and children’s toys (Abelson, 2009). In the United States, a ‘resale roundup’ conducted in 1999 discovered that nearly 70% of second-hand stores carried at least one previously recalled product.

A review of the literature reveals that the extent to which Health Canada and industry policies and practices are protecting the health and safety of Canadians is uncertain. There is a clear absence of legislation specifically targeting the second-hand goods market; even the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act (CCPSA), which replaced the 40 year old Hazardous Products Act on June 20, 2011, seems to focus on new products.

This Industry Canada funded project will interview retail managers and customers of second-hand stores to help identify potential gaps in consumer protection, with the ultimate goal of providing recommendations on how to enhance consumer confidence in the purchase of second-hand products.