Retailer Marks & Spencer is expanding its long-standing Shwopping partnership with Oxfam for the Back-to-School season with dedicated school uniform Shwop boxes in over 200 stores across the UK
It’s the first time a national retailer, Oxfam, and eBay have come together to pilot the sale of school uniform through a pre-loved eBay school uniform shop
The trio are calling on consumers to donate their hand-me-down quality school uniform into M&S Shwop boxes this summer
Through the new M&S Back-to-School Shwopping boxes, donated pre-loved school uniform – which passes the hand-me-down quality test – will be given a second life in an Oxfam shop and, for the first time, made available on a dedicated pre-loved school uniform shop on eBay.
By partnering with eBay, M&S and Oxfam hope the pilot shop will mean even more families can access affordable, great quality school uniform – no matter where they live or how they choose to shop.
Every school uniform sale – whether through Oxfam’s shops or via the eBay shop – will raise funds to support the vital work the charity does to tackle poverty and inequality around the world, including supporting communities on the front line of climate change. Any school uniform that can’t be resold in Oxfam shops or on eBay will be recycled or reused wherever possible.
Alexandra Dimitriu, Kidswear Director at M&S, commented: “At M&S, our clothing is too good to waste. Made with care and with innovative design features, our school uniform is super durable to ensure whatever your kids get up to on the playground, it can last the test of time. We know our customers frequently hand down our school uniform to friends and family and this season, we’re encouraging them to drop school uniform which they no longer need into one of our new Shwopping boxes where it will be resold in Oxfam shops and through our exciting pilot shop with eBay. It’s one of the many ways we’re trying to make our best-in-class school uniform accessible to all families, however and whenever they choose to shop.”
Lorna Fallon, Oxfam’s Retail Director, commented: “The Back-to-School Shwopping scheme is a win-win initiative and a simple way for shoppers to make a huge difference. Donating pre-loved school uniforms through the scheme is not only better for the environment, since it gives garments a longer lifecycle, it also raises funds for Oxfam’s life-saving work, and it helps parents here in the UK who may be struggling with the cost of kitting their children out for school.”
