London, Aug 4 (IANS): A research by an online shopping website with best offers from major British retailers has found that 24 percent of people have returned clothes that they have worn.

Femalefirst.co.uk reports that the research was carried by www.offeroftheday.co.uk and it revealed that women are the most likely culprits, with 65 percent of them having done so.

It was also found that it's not just clothes, but people are even returning accessories, jewellery, books and tableware.

A surprising 17 percent do this quite regularly, whilst 46 percent only admitted to having done it once or twice before.

Ennis Al-Saiegh, marketing director, offeroftheday.co.uk, said: "It's a sad fact that the cost of living is rising year on year, but wages, unfortunately, aren't going up in the same fashion, no pun intended."

"Whilst you've got to admire the front of people who brazenly purchase, use and then return an item, we can't condone it. If you can't afford something, then you really shouldn't be buying it.

"And if you buy something and then realise later that you can't afford it, you definitely shouldn't be using it first. For those that confess to reading books and returning them, why not use a library," added Al-Saiegh.