M&S launches Shwopping initiative

High street retailer Marks & Spencer is launching a new initiative with Oxfam, Shwopping,

which is aimed at encouraging customers to give an unwanted piece of clothing every time they purchase a new one.

The new scheme will see all M&S clothing stores accepting unwanted clothing of any brand, all year round, in the hope that it will create a ‘buy one, give one’ culture on the UK high street.  

Through Oxfam, the clothes will be resold, reused or recycled and the money raised will go to help people living in poverty. Not a single item will go to landfill and the ultimate aim for M&S is to recycle as many clothes as it sells – 350 million a year.

In addition, the retailer has also unveiled that actress Joanna Lumley will front the new initiative as part of her new role as worldwide ambassador of Plan A, M&S’s eco and ethical programme.

M&S CEO Marc Bolland said: “We’re leading a change in the way we all shop for clothing, forever. This is the right, responsible move for the UK’s biggest clothing retailer and the ultimate goal is simple – to put a complete stop to clothes ending up in landfill.

 “We want to get back one garment for every one we sell. For us that’s 350 million a year. It is a big number, but with our customers’ help, we will do it.”

Barbara Stocking, Oxfam Chief Executive added: “For Oxfam, Shwopping will ultimately mean helping us change the lives of some of the world’s poorest people.  Unwanted clothing donated to us by the British public raises millions of pounds every year to help fund our life-saving work, so it’s vital for us to keep those donations coming in.  This campaign brings a really fresh approach to that challenge, and the potential offered by reaching out directly to M&S customers is very exciting.”

The campaign will launch with a TV, print and online marketing campaign, and will include a specially creates facebook app, which will allow customers to share experiences, see how many clothes are being shwopped at their local store and advise other shwoppers on which items in their wardrobes to shwop or not.