With the summer holidays well underway, many families will be starting to think about getting children ready for the new school year. Alongside new shoes, stationery and school bags, replacing outgrown uniform can add a significant amount to the back-to-school bill.
New research from consumer finance experts at Fast Loan UK has compared the cost of seven essential school uniform items across seven major UK retailers, revealing where parents could find the cheapest basket.
The comparison looked at a basket containing boys’ and girls’ polo shirts, a girls’ cardigan, girls’ skirt, girls’ trousers, boys’ sweatshirt, boys’ shorts and boys’ trousers.
Sainsbury’s offers the cheapest school uniform
Sainsbury’s has been named the cheapest retailer in the comparison, with the seven-item basket costing £30.50.
That puts it £25 cheaper than the equivalent basket at the most expensive retailer, potentially making a noticeable difference for families buying uniforms for more than one child.
| Rank | Retailer | Total cost |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sainsbury’s | £30.50 |
| 2 | Matalan | £33.10 |
| 3 | Tesco | £35.00 |
| 4 | Asda | £37.50 |
| 5 | Next | £44.00 |
| 6 | M&S | £45.50 |
| 7 | John Lewis | £55.50 |
Source: Fast Loan UK
Matalan comes in second
Matalan takes second place, with the full basket costing £33.10 – just £2.60 more than Sainsbury’s.
The retailer performs particularly well on individual items, including girls’ trousers at £3 and boys’ shorts at £3.20.
For parents trying to keep uniform costs down, comparing individual prices could therefore be worthwhile, particularly if they are shopping for several children.
John Lewis is the most expensive
At £55.50, John Lewis is the most expensive retailer in the comparison.
That is £25 more than Sainsbury’s for the same seven-item basket.
According to the research, John Lewis’ prices included £7 for boys’ and girls’ polo shirts, £9 for girls’ cardigans and skirts, and £9 for girls’ and boys’ trousers.
Aldi and Lidl offer £5 uniform bundles
Although Aldi and Lidl were not included in the like-for-like comparison, both supermarkets are offering £5 school uniform bundles.
Aldi’s bundle includes two polo shirts, a sweatshirt or cardigan and a choice of trousers, skirt or cargo shorts. Other items in its range include a jersey skirt for £2.49, leggings or a skort for £3.49 and a two-pack of joggers for £5.99.
Lidl’s £5 bundle includes two polo shirts, a sweatshirt and a choice of trousers, skirt or shorts. Its two-pack of polo shirts costs £1.75, working out at around 88p per shirt.
Both ranges are subject to availability, so parents looking for the lowest-cost options may want to shop early.
Comparing prices could help families save
Joe Brunt, Consumer Finance Expert at Fast Loan UK, said the research highlights how much difference the choice of retailer can make to the overall cost of school uniform.
With a £25 difference between the cheapest and most expensive baskets, families may benefit from comparing prices, looking for supermarket bundles and checking multi-buy offers before completing their back-to-school shop.
For families buying several uniforms or shopping for more than one child, even relatively small savings on individual items could add up.
