Uniform dilemma
Published
The cost of school uniform is on the increase, with one in four parents expecting to pay up to £100 more per child than they did in 2021, according to consumer insights provider Toluna.
And it’s not just the actual uniform that’s pushing up the cost. Nearly one in two parents is worried about the cost of ancillary items: sports kit and equipment, school bags and backpacks and even lunchboxes and water bottles.
So how do parents plan to save money on back-to-school shopping? More than half the parents in the survey said they will re-use uniform and other school items from last year and over a quarter of respondents will switch to lower priced brands and/or cheaper retailers. Parents are also considering other ways to save money, hardly surprising considering that 42 per cent of them said their disposable income is much less this year than it was in 2021.
Some will cut down on school dinner spending with 41 per cent planning to switch to packed lunches. Others will use public transport to get to school and back instead of driving, or organise car sharing.
Visit www.toluna.com
