In Bury a large CeX store, its windows crammed with cut price gadgets and banners boasting of 'buying stuff for cash' seems unnaturally quiet. The last time I visited, just before Christmas, the store was steady with shoppers desperate to save money on their Christmas presents.
Many people suggested to me that the store would see an influx of customers post lockdown. But as food prices, petrol and energy bills continue to rocket, it seems even bargains and second-hand goods are becoming a luxury people just can't justify buying, as shoppers struggled to pay full price for consumer items.
Auditor David Lord, 50, is among the handful of customers in-store and comes out clutching a few Blu-ray DVDs. He shows them to me saying: "These Blu-rays would cost £30 to £40 at HMV, here they are £1 each.
