VOTE: Price wars begin as parents kit out their kids for the new school term
SUPERMARKETS and high street retailers are locked in a price battle to offer thousands of parents deals on pupils school uniform ahead of the autumn term.
North Lincolnshire children are heading back to school from Tuesday, but parents are faced with the worry of compromising quality for quantity to ensure all their children are kitted out.
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Anayat Shah of Shah's
Tesco director Lucy Neville-Rolfe said: "By providing affordable prices, we are helping families sometimes caught in an expensive trap."
But for one Scunthorpe family uniform business it is more about quality than quantity.
Shah's, in West Street, Scunthorpe, has sold school uniform for the past 40 years.
Owner Anayat Shah, 39, said: "We pride ourselves on good-quality products at a budget price.
"Most customers will get uniform from here for both junior and comprehensive schools and it will last the entire year.
"I feel supermarkets are about making profit and quality is not always there, meaning several purchases for parents through out the year."
However, Mr Shah believes schools do not help the financial situation by making their own branded clothing compulsory. He said: "Comprehensive school pupils especially wear uniform with mandatory logos.
"They are more expensive to buy and only available from schools.
"I have approached schools to try to help, offering a printing service for school logos on to uniforms, but they prefer not to."
Mum Justine Kaye, 34, of Winterton, is just one parent who has had to fork out £150 so far for the new school term.
She said: "It is all about getting the best deal, it is an expensive time of year but I have no complaints in the prices of items.
"The majority is compulsory, so there is not much choice about it.
"It is a good thing for supermarkets to have the deals on uniform. It makes it more affordable for families."
8 Comments
by Anon, Anonshire
Thursday, September 02 2010, 12:28AM
“Uniform (in primary school) isn't compulsory, despite what school may tell you. If you don't like it, don't send your kids in it. Simples.
Uniform (in secondary school) is a little more inflexible & schools have limited "punishments" they can use for non-compliance.However schools have to demonstrate that their uniform is accessible to all, which includes issues around cost.”
by Janet, Here and there
Wednesday, September 01 2010, 8:18PM
“Our kids' school has introduced an iron-on version of its logo. You buy your polo shirts and sweatshirts at ASDA and the emblems from the school - £1 each.”
by Mike, scunthorpe
Wednesday, September 01 2010, 7:36PM
“Agree non the comment about Shah's and quality. A few years ago we got my eldest daughters uniform there and within a week a skirt fell apart, they wouldn't give us a refund nor replace it, Asda/ Tesco wouldn't even quibble, you'd get your money back, never went within a mile of Shah's again, customer service isn't in their vocabulary”
by Englander, Scunthorpe
Wednesday, September 01 2010, 7:34PM
“brian has the right idea , certain retailers have had a monopoly for to long, perhaps we can get quality and fairer prices this way, money raised by schools could got to improving our schools getting better equipment ,”
by brian, Ashby
Wednesday, September 01 2010, 7:27PM
“all retailers should be allowed to sell blazers elct, and schools just sell badges to be sown on by mum or dad , also ties sold by schools fixed price for all , rather than giving certain retailers a licence to make cash , fair trade for all, not just chosen few, lets do it right”
by Chris, Scunny
Wednesday, September 01 2010, 6:32PM
“When uniforms were not obligatory - children put themselves into a uniform - they all wore black !!!! Schools sell blazers, sweatshirts etc. at exhorbitant prices - even in primary schools - AND IT IS WRONG. Uniforms are smart and it does away with peer pressure to some extent. Also if children are playing truant, they would be easily identified and could be reported! BRING UNIFORMS BACK.”
by Mum, Scunthorpe
Wednesday, September 01 2010, 4:27PM
“The words 'Shah's' and 'quality' are two words I would'nt ever expect to find in the same sentence.”
by Breadline Mum, Westcliff
Wednesday, September 01 2010, 10:22AM
“Melior school are making it compulsory for pupils to wear blazers and are not allowing the likes of Shah's or other retailers to sell them. Could Melior school give an explanation why they will be the sole supplier of these blazers and why they're rather pricey?”