Back to school shopping 'starts in first week of summer break for some parents'

Parents are set to spend more than £100 per child on "back to school" clothes - and one in eight start shopping for the new academic year during the first week of the summer holidays, a survey indicates.

The average spend per child is £108.59 according to the research, which asked parents to estimate how much they usually spend on back to school clothing and products, per child, per year.

More than four-fifths (44%) of parents of children of school age splurge the most on shoes, while 16% said blazers are the most costly purchase and 11% splash the cash the most on stationery, according to website MyVoucherCodes.

The survey also found that 42% of parents now opt for second-hand clothes to help ease the financial burden.

A further 38% of parents said they have bought plain clothing and attach the school logo separately. Those who did this typically estimated they saved more than £40 per year.

One in eight (12%) parents surveyed start back to school shopping in the first week of the summer holidays, while 13% who are planning even further ahead start as early as April.

Sarah-Jane Outten, a shopping and money expert at MyVoucherCodes, said: "The cost of school uniforms and supplies can add significant pressure to household budgets, especially during the summer holidays.

"It’s encouraging to see parents using creative and cost-effective methods like buying second-hand or personalising plain uniforms to save money. With a bit of planning, there are real opportunities to cut costs without compromising on quality."

Some 1,000 parents of school-aged children were surveyed by OnePoll in June and July for the research.