In a move which aims to help families with the cost-of-living crisis, parents are being offered money off children’s clothes in M&S if they donate old school uniforms to charity.

The tie-up is an extension of M&S’s ongoing “shwopping” partnership with Oxfam, in which customers donate old clothes in exchange for loyalty card perks. More than 200 Oxfam stores across the UK now have dedicated school uniform “Shwop” boxes where people can leave hand-me-down uniforms.

The second-hand uniforms collected will be sold via Oxfam’s high street chain as well as via a new ‘back-to-school’ eBay shop. Any school uniform that can’t be resold in Oxfam shops or on eBay will be recycled or reused wherever possible.

Parents need to be members of, or join, M&S’s reward scheme Sparks to benefit from the scheme, which offers participants 20% off selected M&S kids’ clothing.

M&S said that every school uniform sale – whether through Oxfam’s shops or via the eBay shop – will raise funds to support the vital work Oxfam does to tackle poverty and inequality around the world, including supporting communities on the front line of climate change.

‘Swhopping scheme is a win-win’

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