A mother-of-four has accused op shops of charging eye-watering prices for items that families in a cost of living squeeze can't afford.

Tasmanian woman Cassandra Eagling, who goes by feralmumshealing on Instagram, walked into her local Vinnies hoping to buy some items for her son before he went to camp.

The single mum said she couldn't believe her eyes when she saw the prices of some of the second-hand items in a TikTok video detailing her experience. 

'I look at the jackets and I think that given that we're in a cost of living crisis, no one can afford s*** and Tasmania's f***ing cold, the jackets will be affordable,' she said.

'They turned out to be very well worn, had very basic branding and it was $30 for multiple jackets.' 

She was also shocked by the price of a pair of dirty shoes and a drink bottle.

'I pick up a pair of boots and notice the bottom is still covered in mud,' she said. 

'They were $30 so I thought someone clearly marked it wrong, so I put them back. 

'I then wander to the knick-knack section, see a drink bottle and saw they wanted $8 for a bottle that retails for $12. I open the lid and the straw was manky, clearly used and I thought someone had lost the plot.' 

She said Vinnies was also charging $8 for a broken shifter, $50 for a dirty coat, $25 for a pair of very well-worn shoes busted on the sides and $70 for a dirty dress. 

Ms Eagling questioned whether op shops were still affordable and accessible. 

'Why am I donating to a place I can't even afford to shop at?' she said. 

'This isn't OK, what about the families that really can't afford anything?

'They go into op shops and can't buy anything.' 

The mother-of-four later posted a follow-up video after receiving a response from Vinnies about their pricing.

'We are committed to ensuring overall accessibility and affordability for our customer base, in keeping with our Society's mission and values,' a spokesman replied to her. 

'Stores follow a standard pricing guide which is determined based on item condition, its original price and whether or not an item is classed as a vintage/collectable. 

'For vintage/collectables, pricing is determined based on market research... with the store's price set lower than the current online market rate to represent value to our shoppers.'

Vinnies said those items are considered non-essential goods and are treated differently to ensure accessibility and affordability.

When asked how Vinnies defined affordable, the organisation said items were sold at a much lower price than the original. 

However, the charity acknowledged mistakes could happen and that it would consider customer feedback. 

'Since each item donated is unique, some pricing variations do occur, and mistakes can occur,' the spokesman continued. 

'We sort and price thousands of items per week and given our diverse workforce comprising volunteer and staff of varying experience and ability levels, we are aware we do not hit the mark all the time. 

'We listen to customer queries if our pricing doesn't seem right on particular items and can change pricing at the counter if we identify we have made a pricing mistake.' 

When it came to supporting low-income individuals, Vinnies said it offered emergency relief services that included 'the provision of second hand goods at nil charge to those experiencing hardship'. 

Ms Eagling told the Daily Mail she has launched a petition to urge op shops to be genuinely affordable for the people they are intended to support.

'I'm not against charities, I support the work they do, but these organisations publicly state they provide affordable, low-cost goods, so the question I'm asking is, affordable for who in practice?' she said. 

Aussies were quick to share their thoughts on op shop prices. 

'At this point things are cheaper at Kmart than any op shop,' one person commented, which received almost 2,000 likes. 

'I found a glass baking dish at Vinnies priced at $20. Then I saw the exact dish at target for $12,' a second wrote. 

Vinnies told Daily Mail their pricing was determined by affordability for customers as well as the quality of the goods on sale.

‘Our shops use a simple pricing guide based on research on value in the general second-hand marketplace and the quality of the garment,’ it said.

While it understands some have issues with its prices, it said its main purpose was 'to raise much-needed funds for the St Vincent de Paul Society’s many services for people experiencing disadvantage'.