Marks and Spencer has announced the next stage of its Plan A in initiative.

When Marks and Spencer launched Plan A in 2007 there was some scepticism but it has contributed to the rebirth of the company now performing much more strongly on the High Street. Of the original commitments targeted to be implemented by 2012, 45 have already been achieved. The stores are now 10% more energy efficient, logistics 20% more fuel efficient, food carrier bag usage is down 83%, food packaging down 16%, 50% of wooden products sold in the stores is either recycled or  FSC, all eggs are free range, there are no trans-fats or artificial flavours or colours in food sold at Marks and Spencer, and they have successfully encouraged their shoppers to recycle 2 million garments per year.

Environmental and social issues remain important to UK consumers. A ComRes survey commissioned by M&S, found that 72% of people surveyed are worried about environmental issues, with 73% saying that the recession had not changed their level of concern.

Marks and Spencer are making 80 additional commitments, every Marks and Spencer product, supplier and customer will be engaged.

• Build Plan A into every one of the 2.7 billion individual M&S products we sell each year by 2020 (50% of products by 2015)
• Help 1 million M&S customers develop their own personal Plan A by 2015 and 3 million by 2020.
• Launch a