A thrifty shopper has shared a handy tactic to increase your clothes hanger stash without breaking the bank. With online shopping on the rise, many find themselves with more outfits than hangers to store them.
Purchasing bulk packs of hangers can be expensive. But, asking a ‘little known’ question at Primark could help you bag clothes hangers for free.
One budget-conscious buyer divulged the tip in popular Facebook group, Extreme Couponing and Bargains, posting: “Just a tip for anyone desperately in need of coat hangers. Go to Primark and ask for some!
“I went today and they asked if my mum wanted to keep the hangers and I said I will as I’m in need of some. (The staff) gave me a bag full and told me if I need anymore to go in and ask as they get charged to dispose of them!”
The advice was met with enthusiasm from the community, as one member expressed: “Better than going into landfill!” Another said: “I’m so glad I’ve just seen this, literally just been on Amazon looking at coat hangers!”
The Mirror reported that a different user added: “This is a great idea. I don’t understand this need for perfectly aesthetic clothes hangers that match – they’re just there to do a job and hardly anyone is going to see them anyway!”
While another said: “If there’s nothing wrong with them then this is a great thing from Primark. Customer gets hangers for free and they don’t have to deal with the waste.”
Someone else claiming to work at the discount clothing store confirmed: “I work there! Just ask we will deffo give you them.” Another worker highlighted the importance of simply asking, as they wrote: “Don’t forget that they also have trousers hangers and the ‘one peg’ ones from the men shorts. (Nine times out of ten) they are buried but it’s worth the ask.”
Clothes hangers aren’t typically expensive, starting for as little as £1.50 for a multipack of basic plastic ones in Asda. However, if you frequently find yours breaking or going missing, that cost can add up quickly over the year.
Others have pointed out the practice isn’t confined to Primark – with an different employee claiming: “We will give hangers in Poundland too!”
Yet, this approach doesn’t seem universal across all retailers. A user recounted her encounter at Next, claiming: “I purchased from Next and asked to keep the hanger, they charged me 15p!”
In July that Next embarked on a trial, charging 15p for hangers at four UK stores in an effort to cut down on plastic use. Shoppers were charged if they wished to take their hanger home.
A spokesperson for Next told The Mirror: “We are trying to reduce the amount of plastic being used to help protect the environment, therefore we retain the hangers and reuse them across the business. The small charge goes towards the production of more hangers.”
