This week: baked beans rated, mattresses tested and top tips on shopping responsibly

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While I rearranged my T-shirt drawer instead of writing this newsletter, I mulled over a couple of gently relevant stats: more than a million tonnes of new textiles are sold each year in the UK, while at the same time, almost 730,000 tonnes of textiles are sent to landfill or incinerated. Looking at my swill of ugly crop tees, I could see why.

We’re terrible at shopping. Our enthusiasm is totally out of proportion with our ability. Maybe your judgment is better than most, given that you’ve subscribed to this missive from the Filter. But I’ve made more than a few shocking buys over the years. Getting older helped – not least because I don’t care as much about going out and fitting in – but my job has done even more to kill the impulse buying habit. Testing products has given me a respect for quality.

The best Valentine’s Day gifts: 34 thoughtful ideas they’ll actually want

‘Unusually soft, mushy, oddly bland’: the best (and worst) baked beans, tasted and rated by Felicity Cloake

I tried 60 low- and no-alcohol drinks: here are my favourite beers, wines and spirits

How to choose a mattress: the features worth paying for – and the ones that aren’t