With today marking the final day of the summer holidays for many families, and new school uniform rules coming into force, Peacocks sees one schoolwear item soar in popularity.
Fashion retailer Peacocks typically records 60% of its back-to-school sales in the five-week run before schools reopen, with the final week alone expected to account for 20% of sales.
As parents have just days left to prepare for the new school year, Peacocks revealed that girls’ back-to-school trousers saw an increase in sales this year. This rise comes as families gain more flexibility over their uniform purchases.
From September, a new law will limit the number of branded school uniform items parents have to buy to a maximum of three. However, Peacocks advises parents to check their school’s guidelines, as each school still decides independently which items remain branded.
The findings from Peacocks also shows that back-to-school shopping typically peaks between 27 August to when all schools reopen in September, with many families leaving their final purchases until the last week of the holidays.
Claire Pemberton, Buying Director at Peacocks, said: “While it means you may have to battle busy crowds, last-minute shopping can offer several benefits. Prices are more likely to drop, and the clothes are more likely to fit your child for the term ahead. The data shows our customers really take advantage of our back-to-school offers in the last week of the holiday as they get ready for the return to term time.”
While the official autumn term began on 1 September, a large number of schools use this date for staff training, and instead open to pupils on 2 or 3 September, leaving parents a few extra days to finish their shopping.
Peacocks has provided the following advice to help minimise the stress of shopping last minute:
- Check the school’s guidelines before shopping. While the number of branded items has lowered, each school decides independently which items remain branded. They may also have guidelines around skirt length.
- Take your child’s measurements and compare to your chosen retailer’s size guide to help you find the best size before purchasing.
- Shop in store to avoid online orders not arriving in time.
- Make a list of the essentials beforehand to avoid unnecessary purchases.
- Check whether you can reuse any school uniform items from previous years or from other family members.
