Igor Clark

This, on the wall in Marks & Spencer in Islington, North London, is one of the most meaningless, vague, weaselly, vacuous environmental "statements" I've ever seen. "By 2012 we'll aim to ensure that none of our clothing or packaging needs end up as landfill" - what does that mean? In 2012, you'll finally grace us with a decision that, at some unspecified, subsequent point, you'll somehow engender a situation where all of your clothing and packaging can be disposed of using methods other than burying them in holes in the ground? And what methods might those be? Sure, recycling could be one possible method, but does this "statement" in any way imply that it would be employed, as against, I don't know, setting fire to them, or breaking them down using some bizarre radiation process? And do you think the fact that they won't "need" to end up in the ground absolves you of any and all responsibility for the means and ultimate effects of their disposal?

No doubt there's some website or information leaflet out there somewhere which gives more detail of how M&S really are saving the world, but in terms of the phrasing and the message, this is meaningless, vacuous greenwash of the worst sort, designed to induce a feeling of hazy, warm goodwill towards M&S without any actual justification. I really hope the people who come up with this stuff find it hard to sleep at night.