M&S launches first back-to-school partnership with Oxfam and Ebay

Marks and Spencer has announced the expansion of 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.

Through the new M&S back-to-school Shwopping boxes, donated preloved school uniforms will be given a second life in an Oxfam shop and, for the first time, made available on a dedicated preloved school uniform shop on eBay. 

Lorna Fallon, Oxfam’s retail director, said: “The back-to-school Shwopping scheme is a win-win initiative and a simple way for shoppers to make a huge difference. Donating preloved school uniforms through the scheme is not only better for the environment, since it gives garments a longer life cycle, 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.”

By partnering with eBay, M&S and Oxfam hope the pilot shop will mean even more families can access affordable, great quality school uniforms. 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.

As the market-leader in school uniforms, selling nearly seven million pieces of school uniform a year, M&S understands that it is an essential purchase for millions of families every year.

That’s why it has protected the price on school uniforms for a third year in a row without compromising on the ‘hand-me-down’ quality M&S is known for. 

Since launching Shwopping in 2008, M&S has collected over 36 million items which has contributed an estimated £23m to Oxfam’s vital work across the world. 

Alexandra Dimitriu, kidswear director at M&S, said: “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.”

Lucy Peacock, head of pre-loved fashion at eBay UK, added: “The cost-of-living crisis has created greater education poverty and an ever-increasing need for school uniforms. Together with M&S and Oxfam, we are proud to be able to pilot an e-commerce solution to help parents get access to pre-loved school uniforms across all corners of the UK.”