With the new school term approaching, families are facing the annual expense of buying new uniforms. Research comparing prices at seven major UK retailers has found that two supermarkets offer the best value.
Sainsbury's and Asda lead the way
According to financial experts at Fast Loan UK, Sainsbury's and Asda jointly top the rankings as the most affordable places for school uniform shopping this year. A full basket of items costs £42 at both stores, with Tesco close behind at £42.50 for the same selection.
The basket included boys' and girls' polos, a girls' cardigan, girls' skirt, girls' trousers, boys' sweatshirt, boys' shorts and boys' trousers.
Price gap of £21 between cheapest and priciest
Next's basket comes in at £50, Matalan at £52, and Marks and Spencer at £54.50. John Lewis proves the priciest option at £63, highlighting a £21 difference between the cheapest and most expensive stores.
Joe Brunt, Consumer Finance Expert at Fast Loan UK, said: "With the summer holidays fast approaching, many parents will be starting to think about getting their children ready for the new school year. School uniforms can quickly become an expensive part of the back-to-school shop, particularly for families buying multiple sets or shopping for more than one child."
He added: "Our research shows that where parents shop can make a significant difference to the overall cost, with a £21 difference between the cheapest and most expensive baskets. Taking the time to compare prices and looking out for supermarket bundles and multi-buy offers could help families keep their back-to-school spending under control."
Discount supermarkets offer bundles
Aldi and Lidl were excluded from the comparison because their products don't offer like-for-like items to those of the other retailers, though both supermarkets do stock back-to-school uniform deals.
Aldi has its well-known back-to-school collection, which features a £5 uniform bundle. It includes two polo shirts, one sweatshirt or cardigan and a selection of trousers, skirt or cargo shorts. Additional items include a jersey skirt for £2.49, leggings or a skort for £3.49 and a two-pack of joggers for £5.99.
Lidl also provides a £5 school uniform bundle, featuring two polo shirts, one sweatshirt and a choice of trousers, skirt or shorts. The supermarket's two-pack of polo shirts is priced at £1.75, equating to just 88p per shirt.
Aldi and Lidl's school uniform ranges are subject to availability, with both supermarkets urging customers to act fast before stocks run out.
