M&S customers donate half a million clothing items to charity through Shwopping scheme
Marks & Spencer said its Shwopping clothes recycling initiative has resulted in its customers donating half a million used and unwanted clothing items to charity since the launch of the scheme six weeks ago.
The scheme enables shoppers to donate an existing item of clothing from their wardrobe at an M&S store every time they purchase a new one. All the clothing donated is given to Oxfam for re-sale, re-use or recycling.
This coming weekend, the retailer is calling on customers to help it reach a million before the campaign hits its two-month mark. M&S is holding a ‘money off’ Shwopping event from 21 to 24 June where customers who ‘shwop’ receive a £5 money-off voucher when they spend £35 or more on fashion in-store.
Joanna Lumley, the initiative’s ambassador said: “I’m thrilled that UK shoppers have become UK shwoppers. We set out to change the way people shop and put an end to clothes going into landfill – half a million items is a great start. We’re determined to give every item of clothing a future and help some of the world’s poorest people in the process. So, this weekend dig out that old t-shirt you haven’t worn for years and give it a new lease of life. Get Shwopping!”
Never Miss a Retail Update!New research commissioned by M&S has revealed that one in five UK consumers have admitted to having thrown away an item of clothing after just one wear. At an average cost of £22.73 per discarded item, the retailer said this equates to over £91 million of wearable items ending up in landfill every year after only being worn once.
The M&S survey of 2,200 UK consumers conducted by YouGov revealed that 74% of people have thrown away unwanted clothes over the past twelve months. Cheaper items were more readily disposed of with 44% of one wear items costing less than £20. The retailer also found that one in three Britons has admitted to having binning six or more items over the past year.
