High Street’s class warfare
As demand grows for help from charities to kit out kids for new term, we look at what stores are charging
Shocking disparity in uniform prices revealed as charities warn parents are being priced out
Families are paying six times more for school uniforms depending on where they shop, we can reveal.
Discounters Aldi, Lidl and Poundland have entered the market as poverty campaigners warn some parents are being priced out.
While the German chains offer a back to school outfit for just £ 3.75 – the cheapest on the shelves – a similar uniform from M&S will set mums and dads back £25.
The disparity is so great that free school clothing is being offered by charities and voluntary groups.
A record number of school uniform banks operate in Scotland and they are desperate for donations.
And writing in the Sunday Mail today, consumer specialist Dr Lindsey Carey warns kids are exposed to “label shaming” – where they can be bullied over brands.
Campaigner Sandra Douglas, who set up Scotland’s first back to school bank with fellow volunteer Deborah Shepherd in 2015, said: “Things are at breaking point. The expense is far too much for some families.
“You can either buy shopping to feed your children or a uniform. The demand has never been greater.”
Our researchers compared the cost of uniforms at M& S, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Tesco and Lidl.
They selected the cheapest back to school kit for a sevenyear- old – a grey skirt or trousers, a pack of white polo shirts and a navy sweater.
We enlisted primary three pupils Ruby Keys, six, and Archie Macdougall, seven, to road test the cheapest and most expensive outfits.
At M&S we paid £25 for a two- pack of polo shirts, trousers or a skirt and a sweater.
It was £19.50 at Sainsbury’s but included three extra items. The polo shirts were in a three- pack and the skirt or trousers and sweater came in a two-pack.
An equivalent uniform at Tesco cost from £ 9.50 – or £ 10 if you wanted a skirt instead of trousers. At Asda the price was £10 but £10.50 if you chose a skirt.
But at Lidl and Aldi each item cost £1.25 bringing the total to £3.75 – including a two- pack of polo shirts. That’s 85 per cent cheaper than the M&S offering.
Archie wore the Lidl version which was a big hit. He said: “It’s really soft and comfortable. It feels good and roomy. I like it.”
Ruby wore M&S. She said: “The skirt is soft and not itchy which I like and I can move around easily.”
Tex t i les ex per t Dr A lex McCluskey noted that the Lidl uniforms were made in Bangladesh, while the M&S garments came from Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
Alex, who has 40 years’ experience, says parents would be better off buying six budget uniforms.
He added: “It makes more sense to mix and match. If you don’t want to do that, buy the trousers or skirt from M&S and team it with sweaters and polo shirts from Lidl.
“The discounters are able to sell at £3.75 because they buy in large volumes. The uniforms are loss leaders to get you into the store.”
The construction of Lidl’s garments is more basic but they are just as durable, according to Alex.
He said: “The Lidl items are very easy and cheap to put together. Crucially that doesn’t affect the wear quality.
“Kids are heavy on clothes and you’d be able to put these garments in the wash once or twice a week without any problem.”
More than a quarter of Scottish youngsters – 260,000 – are living in poverty, 40,000 up on last year, according to official figures.
Sandra’s organisation, East Renfrewshire Back to School Bank, helps 70 to 100 children a year. It is one of more than 20 groups throughout Scotland.
Families in need are referred by local schools, Citizens Advice, Barnardo’s, Children First and other charities.
But Sandra, a part-time office administrator, of Clarkston, Glasgow, said: “None of these kids know they are getting charity.
“They get a glossy bag with their uniform in it with tags and everything. To all intents and purposes, their parents have bought the uniform for them.”
All the uniform banks in Scotland – locations include Stirl ing, Edinburgh, West Lothian and Paisley – work together but are autonomous.
Sandra said: “We have two groups in Glasgow but we need more. We want more people to get involved.
“It would be the happiest day of our lives if we were able to shut the doors.
“We’re here to make sure the kids and their parents are OK and it’s gratifying to be able to do that.”
Aldi previously charged £ 5 for their uniform but cut the price to £ 3.75 to match Lidl.
They said: “Sending the kids back to school is an expensive time and we make it our mission to ensure that we aren’t beaten on quality or on price.
“That’s why we reduced the price of our package.”
It costs far too much for some. You can either feed your kids or buy a uniform