Huge clothing chain launches second hand uniforms to help parents pay for kit
Marks and Spencer has partnered with Oxfam and eBay to launch a second-hand school uniform shop.
Customers in 200 M&S stores across the UK can drop old uniforms into school uniform ‘Shwop’ boxes.
If they do this, they will then be able to get 20% off selected kids’ clothing at the retailer.
The uniforms will then be resold in Oxfam shops or in a dedicated eBay store, while any clothes not in a re-sellable condition will be recycled or reused wherever possible.
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.
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(Getty Images/iStockphoto)“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: “Every parent should be able to have access to a school uniform for their child at any age which is good quality and fit for purpose.
“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.”
M&S is the market leader in school uniform with almost seven million pieces sold a year.
In June, it announced that it would keep the price of its uniform frozen at 2021 prices, following a poll for them that found the cost of living remains a concern for 81% of families.
Prices in the range start at £7 for a pack of three unisex 100% cotton polo shirts.
The news comes as Lidl and Aldi announced they had frozen the price of their school uniform bundles at £5 this year, available until stocks last in stores from July 6.
Meanwhile, a recent study from The Children’s Society stated that parents spend an average of £422 a year on secondary school uniforms and £287 for primary school uniforms.
The charity’s research also found that pupils were still expected to have an average of three branded items of uniform, while almost a third of secondary pupils must own four to five.
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This is despite the fact that the 2021 Education (Guidance about Costs of School Uniforms) Act states these expensive items must be kept to a minimum.
The Government said it expects schools to be fully compliant with the guidance by September.
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