Shopper dumbfounded after stumbling upon seemingly illegal items for sale at thrift store: 'That's not just ridiculous; it's criminal'

Sometimes a deal isn't just too good to be true — it's also too good to be legal.

At issue are rolls of apparent U.S. Postal Service priority mail labels sitting on a shelf at an unidentified thrift store. The photo was posted on the r/ThriftGrift subreddit. Another Redditor shared a magnified view of fine print on similar labels, which states: "This packaging is not for resale." 

"I wonder if the post office takes this crime as seriously as it does other crimes. It'd be fun to find out," a viewer commented. 

"The post office takes postal crimes very seriously," a fellow Redditor warned. 

It's a rare example that serves as a reminder that it's always a good idea to be a mindful buyer. 

But overall, thrift store shopping is an extremely valuable and planet-friendly hobby. It's a great way to give quality products a second life, preventing them from going to the trash heap. It can also save you up to $1,700 a year, according to CouponFollow. 

Better yet, you can counter the disposable mindset common in the fast-fashion industry. The United Nations Environment Programme reported that the sector makes up to 8% of global planet-warming pollution. Clothing producers can use several thousand gallons of water for just one pair of jeans. The duds are often of cheap quality, worn only a couple of times before being thrown out as styles change. Worse yet, the UN added that textile workers are often paid poorly, laboring long hours in "appalling conditions" overseas. 

Thrift store bins also sometimes contain rare gems, like wads of cash forgotten in donated purses or even luxury handbags. The latter case was recently highlighted by another Redditor's Gucci discovery. 

However, it's important to be savvy when browsing shelves. Sometimes, as is the case with the postage labels, you might find something that could put you under scrutiny from authorities like the postmaster general. But you are far more likely to find bargains at steep discounts than unusually suspect contraband. 

What's more, thrift shopping benefits go beyond clothes and accessories. Giving new life to containers, appliances, and other products can prevent landfill waste. Recycling or reusing throwaway plastics can keep them from littering our environment, where they take centuries to degrade. 

What's your primary motivation in shopping at thrift stores? Cheaper clothes 🤑 Trendier items 😎 Reduced environmental impact 🌎 I don't thrift 🚫 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

For example, a plastic toothbrush can linger for 500 years, according to the World Wildlife Fund. The plastics break down into smaller particles that are infiltrating our soil, water, and bodies. Medical experts are studying human health concerns. And research has associated microplastics with heart and stroke risks, among other ailments. 

As for the postage labels, more Redditors pointed out that supplies like the ones in the photo are actually free from the USPS. So they aren't such a good deal after all. And the service clearly warns on its website that misuse of the supplies, even free ones, may violate federal laws. 

"Seriously. That's not just ridiculous; it's criminal," someone commented. 

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