Marks and Spence (M&S) has launched a one-year quality guarantee on all children’s clothing.

M&S said that it is so confident in the quality of its clothing, that it will be the first UK High Street retailer to offer a one-year guarantee on all kids clothing, allowing customers to ask for a full refund within 365 days if the product does not meet the company’s high-quality standards.

The retailer said it goes to “great lengths” to make quality products, ensuring that products can be passed onto another child.

M&S says the guarantee covers manufacturing and material defects for a maximum of one year from the date of purchase and does not cover any issues as a result of normal wear and tear, loss or damage to accessories or accidental or deliberate damage.

Across the range, M&S said it incorporates intelligent design features that grow with children, such as growth proof hems and adjustable waistbands, as well as coats with space for three children’s names on the label.

The company added that its kidswear range is responsibly sourced utilising responsible or recycled fibres, with 100 per cent of the cotton coming from responsible sources and over 90 per cent of its polyester recycled.

M&S views kidswear is a key opportunity for growth and a central part of its wider strategy to acquire more family shoppers.

Over the past two years, M&S says it has maintained its leading quality perceptions whilst also increasing value perceptions in kidswear by five percentage points.

At the start of this year, M&S reduced prices by up to 20 per cent on over 100 products from its “everyday essentials” kidswear range.

The one-year guarantee forms part of M&S’ another life strategy, which is part of how the retailer deploys its Plan A sustainability strategy.

Alexandra Dimitriu, kidswear director at M&S, said that quality and durability is in the company’s DNA and an important part of the retailer’s Plan A roadmap as it moves towards a more circular economy.

“In Kidswear, our customers have always trusted us for the hand-me-down quality of our clothing, knowing that every single item they buy, whether it is a jogger or a dress, a piece of school uniform, is exceptional quality and trusted value,” she added. “With an authoritative lead in quality, we’re going one step further to give our customers the confidence that any item of kids clothing they purchase, it made well and made to last and can be given another life when their children grow out of it.”

The initiative builds on the 100 day back-to-school extended returns policy which M&S launched last year.

The one-year guarantee will encompass all children's clothing from baby clothes to kids’ joggers and t-shirts, as well as school uniform.

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