Uniting Op Shops
Good. Sells second-hand or refurbished goods, so it creates no new factory work.
Last researched 2 November 2026 · 6 sources
Uniting Vic.Tas op shops selling donated goods.
Uniting Op Shops sell donated goods, so buying there creates no new demand for factory or mining labour.
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Compare Uniting Op Shops with another brand
Why it's graded Good
Graded on reuse
A business that sells second-hand, rented or refurbished goods is graded on reuse, not on this checklist. It's Good unless it has red flags, and it doesn't earn stars.
Red flags 0
None found.
Estimates for its products
Our rules applied to one kind of product at a time, using Uniting Op Shops's evidence and, where it has product lines, that line's countries. They're estimates: we don't know which factory made any single item.
Jeans, Hoodies & sweatshirts, Knitwear, T-shirts, Shirts, Pants & trousers, Shorts, Dresses & skirts, Jackets & coats, Suits, Kids' clothes, Sneakers, Boots, Sandals & thongs, Shoes, Hats, Bags & backpacks: Good, the same as Uniting Op Shops overall, because nothing we know differs between them.
Holding one? Scan its barcode for an estimate that uses its care label or ingredients.
Evidence
What we found
Research notes Uniting Op Shops are run by Uniting Vic.Tas, with more than 20 shops in Victoria and one in North Hobart, Tasmania, selling donated pre-loved clothing, homewares, books and furniture; no new own-label goods are sold, and proceeds fund Uniting crisis support and emergency relief. Where donated goods were made is unknown. The shops rely on volunteers, with about 60 paid retail staff in 2024; Uniting Vic.Tas has over 4,000 staff in all, and no Fair Work findings against it are reported. Two separate Uniting bodies that don't run these shops had underpayment findings: Uniting NSW.ACT (2020) and Uniting AgeWell (2023).
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Not listed | No supply chain labour allegations relating to Uniting Op Shops appear in reporting. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 6
Show all 6 sources
- Fair Work Ombudsman: Uniting AgeWell signs Enforceable Undertaking (2023) · search the archive · Separate Uniting aged-care entity underpaid staff and signed an enforceable undertaking.
- Fair Work Ombudsman: Uniting signs Enforceable Undertaking (2020) · search the archive · Uniting NSW.ACT, a separate agency, signed an enforceable undertaking to back-pay underpaid staff.
Published by Uniting Op Shops or its owner
- Uniting Vic.Tas: Op Shops · search the archive · Shops in Melbourne, Bendigo, Ballarat, Geelong, Barwon, Sale and North Hobart sell donated pre-loved goods; no online shop or new stock mentioned.
- Uniting Vic.Tas: Work at Uniting Op Shops · search the archive · More than 20 Uniting Op Shops across Victoria and Tasmania and more than 2,500 op shop volunteers, including sorting and warehouse roles.
- Uniting Vic.Tas op shops making a difference in our communities (Feb 2024) · search the archive · 17 shops, 400 volunteers and 60 staff in February 2024; donations fund Uniting crisis support and emergency relief programs.
- Uniting Church in Australia Victoria and Tasmania joint Modern Slavery Statement FY25 · search the archive · Joint FY25 statement: Uniting (Vic and Tas) has over 4,000 employees and 1,600 volunteers; Synod services include op shops; no cases reported.
Company details
- Owned by
- Uniting Vic.Tas
- Headquarters
- Australia
- Employees
- About 4,000
- Last researched
- 2 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Uniting Op Shops ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/uniting-op-shops, last researched 2 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Good means
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Uniting Op Shops.