Asda is the cheapest supermarket for school uniform essentials, according to a price comparison of five major retailers. The supermarket offered the lowest or joint-lowest price in every category when compared with M&S, Next, Tesco and Sainsbury's.
With the summer holidays drawing to a close, parents are preparing their children's uniforms for the new term. To help families find the best deals, prices were compared for core items including polo shirts, long-sleeve shirts, trousers and pleated skirts.
Average uniform costs £389 per pupil
According to ClearScore, a basic school uniform, including school shoes and PE trainers, costs around £389 per pupil on average. The figure can increase significantly for children attending schools with specific branded uniform requirements.
For parents free to choose where to buy, prices were compared at M&S, Next, Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury's. As some retailers sell uniforms in packs while others sell individual items, the cost per item was calculated to give a fairer comparison.
Store-by-store price breakdown
At M&S, a pack of two polo shirts (3-18 years) costs £4.50-£10 (£2.25-£5 each), while a pack of three long-sleeve shirts (2-16 years) costs £10-£19 (£3.33-£6.33 each, online only). A pack of two trousers (2-18 years) is £11-£17 (£5.50-£8.50 each), and a pleated skirt (2-16 years) is £7-£12. The total for one of each is £32.50-£58.
At Next, a pack of two polo shirts (3-16 years) costs £6-£12 (£3-£6 each), and a pack of two long-sleeve shirts (3-17 years) costs £9-£17 (£4.50-£8.50 each). Trousers (3-17 years) are £8-£16, and a pack of two pleated skirts (3-16 years) is £12-£20 (£6-£10 each). The total for equivalent items is £41-£65.
Asda and Tesco lead on price
At Asda, a pack of two polo shirts (3-16 years) costs £3-£6 (£1.50-£3 each), and a pack of three long-sleeve shirts (5-18 years) costs £4.50-£7.50 (£1.50-£2.50 each). A pack of two trousers (3-14 years) is £8-£12 (£4-£6 each), and a pack of two pleated skirts (3-16 years) is £8-£14 (£4-£7 each). The total for one pack of each is £23.50-£39.50.
Tesco offers a pack of two polo shirts (3-16 years) at £3-£5 (£1.50-£2.50 each), and a pack of three long-sleeve shirts (4-16 years) at £5.50-£9.50 (£1.83-£3.17 each). A pack of two trousers (3-16 years) is £7-£11 (£3.50-£5.50 each), and a pleated skirt (3-11 years) is £6-£8. The total for one of each is £21.50-£33.50.
Sainsbury's sells a pack of two polo shirts (3-16 years) for £3-£6 (£1.50-£3 each), and a pack of three long-sleeve shirts (3-16 years) for £4.50-£9.50 (£1.50-£3.17 each). A pack of two trousers (3-16 years) is £7-£13 (£3.50-£6.50 each, online only), and a pack of two pleated skirts (3-11 years) is £7-£13 (£3.50-£6.50 each, online only). The total for one pack of each is £21.50-£41.50.
Asda comes out as the cheapest overall based on the prices compared, offering the lowest or joint-lowest price for every category. Its polo shirts cost as little as £1.50 each, while long-sleeve shirts start at £1.50, trousers at £4 and pleated skirts at £4.
Quality considerations and size variations
Tesco is the next cheapest option, particularly for trousers and polo shirts, while Sainsbury's also offers competitive prices across the majority of the essentials. At the other end of the scale, M&S and Next tend to be more expensive, although parents may prefer these retailers for reasons such as quality, fit or durability.
Prices vary depending on a child's age and the sizes available, so the cheapest option overall may not necessarily be the cheapest for every individual child.
