Items including beauty products, homewares, mugs and gift cards are among the frontrunners to be ‘re-gifted’ after Christmas, according to a new survey from Compare The Market.

More than one-quarter of Australians (27.7%) have admitted they have regifted a present they didn’t like, especially if receiving more than one of any given item or a duplicate of something they already own.

Other items at the front of the regifting line include books, candles, alcohol, chocolates and gift cards.

“Regifting is a taboo topic around this time of year, but it’s not always done with bad intentions,” said Compare the Market Economic Director David Koch.

“It’s better than throwing an unwanted present away or having it gather dust in your cupboard.”

Broken down by region, South Australians revealed themselves as the hardest people to buy for, with more than one-third saying they regifted presents they didn’t want or like.

Koch recommended people hold onto receipts just in case their intended gift recipient would like to exchange for something else.

Interestingly, one in four Aussies surveyed said they didn’t do anything with unwanted gifts, while another 15% said they donate them to charity, followed by another 2% who said they will throw away an unwanted gift.

Another 11.7% said will opt to exchange an unwanted gift, with 8.8% returning the item and 4.8% selling the item.

Koch added that charities do wonderful things at this time of year for people in need and are not a “dumping ground for rubbish”.

“Before you go offloading all those candles or jocks and socks you don’t want, check if there are rules and guidelines around donations outlined by the charity,” Koch said.