UK Retail Company to Buy Back Customers’ Unwanted Clothes

John Lewis, a UK retail chain, has launched a waste reduction scheme that allows customers to sell back their unwanted clothes. The scheme will provide monetary incentives for customers who will donate their unwanted John Lewis-purchased clothes back to the company. This move is expected to make a dent in the estimated 300,000 tonnes of clothing from the United Kingdom that end up in landfills each year. To accomplish its mission, John Lewis has collaborated with Stuffstr, a social enterprise that promotes sustainability. Patrons can participate in this scheme by using the Stuffstr application, wherein they can choose the items to be sold. The application will show customers how much they will earn for each item. Once they have gathered clothing items with a total minimum amount of £50, the products will be collected by a courier. Afterward, customers will receive a John Lewis e-gift card equivalent to the price of the things they sold. Presently, the scheme is in its trial phase, with over 100 participating customers. If the scheme turns out to be a success, John Lewis will expand the program throughout the United Kingdom. This new scheme follows the retailer’s existing initiative that involves accepting old furniture and appliances. These items are either donated to charity or upcycled. On a related note, Spanish clothing brand Zara [tsah-dah] has also initiated a similar scheme. In 2016, the company set up collection bins in its Europe branches, particularly those in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Denmark, Spain, and Sweden. Non-governmental organizations will receive the clothing items as donations.