Buying School Uniforms for Less

Monday 05th of February 2007 07:28:02 PM

For many in Whales, school uniforms are needed in order to attend school. For years, these uniforms were supplied by the school at a price that seemed fair. But since more uniforms and accessories are now being sold in supermarkets and other shops for less, parents who are having difficult affording school uniforms for their children have found a less expensive way to do so.

According to the Office of Fair Trade, most schools insist that up to 84% of student’s uniforms must be purchased from one of their suppliers. This leaves very little that parents can buy from lower paying venues.

In a recent study conducted by Which?, a consumer organisation, items purchased from suppliers that are in partnership with schools, and other manufacturers are not much different in terms of quality. The major difference seems to be in price.

This leaves many parents to wonder why they should have to pay more for items that are of the same quality. Director of the Association of Teachers and Lectures Cymru, Phil Dixon said, “It's good for parents who are hard pressed to buy school uniforms to know that they are not being disadvantaged by going to a high street store. School uniform is a good thing. It provides a leveller but schools which insist on certain suppliers need to make a clear case why. And parents need to be probing."

On defence of these findings, Donald Moore, of the Schoolwear Association that handles the manufacturing of some school uniforms, said that the price increase is due in part because of the addition of school crests and logos, and that their clothing is manufactured in the UK rather than in other countries.

In the end, it is up to the parents to decide what they can afford when looking for school uniforms.

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