Here’s why ‘Foose/Broni waawu’ is so expensive these days.
By: Kobina Baidoo
The Chairman of the Used Clothes Sellers Association, Michael Oppong, has admitted that sales of second-hand clothing have declined in recent weeks due to the price placed on them by importers.
Commonly known as ‘foose,’ and modified by Generation Z slang as ‘thrift wear,’ second-hand clothing has experienced a sharp rise in pricing, making it difficult for the average Ghanaian to afford. “The sales we used to make in about two days can no longer be achieved; it now takes much longer before we can restock,” Mr. Oppong said.
In an interview with happyghana.com at Kantamanto, the Chairman explained that the prices charged by importers are responsible for the high costs of second-hand clothes at retail shops and stores in Accra. “It’s the importers, not us—we’re just retailers. They raise the prices today, and within a week, the prices rise again. They blame it on the dollar exchange rate and inflation. Otherwise, it would have been easier to sell these clothes.”
Mr. Oppong has thus appealed to the government to reduce the import duties on clothing, which would lead to more reasonable prices for second-hand clothing in stores. “We plead with the government to address the import duty fees so that importers can lower their prices. If the government reduces these duties, importers will also lower their prices, and we can sell to the public at more affordable rates.”
Additionally, he urged importers to select higher-quality clothing for import, which would help attract more customers in Ghana.