Marks & Spencer and the story of "shwopping"

This event report discusses how Marks & Spencer, the UK high-street retailer, developed the idea of "shwopping" – where consumers actively trade in previously-purchased items of clothing in exchange for some kind of benefit, from discount vouchers to points on a Facebook league table.

Marks & Spencer and the story of "shwopping"

Stephen WhitesideWarc

Marks & Spencer is, perhaps, the most famous name on the British high-street. The 130-year-old retailer runs more than 750 stores nationwide, is the country's biggest clothing and homewares chain, and sells a range of popular speciality foods. But the company's importance extends much further into the national consciousness, as it is both a much-loved institution and a closely-scrutinised economic bellwether.

When Marks & Spencer set out to attain new standards in the area of sustainability, a welter of headlines duly followed. Its "Plan A" initiative, introduced in 2007,...

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