Our research also uncovered a concerning discrepancy between boys' and girls' pricing when it came to trousers, with girls' trousers often having to be bought as single pairs and therefore costing parents more than boys' two-packs.
Read on to find out which shops will help your money go furthest, plus our top tips on how to save money on school uniform.
Sainsbury's and Morrisons cheapest for uniform staples
School uniform can be expensive - in fact research from the Children's Society shows parents or guardians will spend an average of £287 on uniform for a primary-aged child this year.
Which? captured the prices of six schoolwear staples for nine-year-olds at eight top retailers. We looked at the cost of buying two of each item, partly because two-packs are more common than other quantities, but also because - let's face it - with the rate at which most children lose and stain things, you can never get away with just one.
Here are the full results, ranked from cheapest to most expensive for our basket. The cheapest price for each item is in bold, and links take you to the retailers' websites (Morrisons' and Tesco's uniforms are only available in stores).
Table notes: *Cost for a pack of three as two-packs aren't sold. Two-thirds of the cost of a three-pack would be £3.30 for Morrisons and £5 for Tesco, bringing their respective basket totals to £47.30 and £62, which wouldn't change the overall rankings. **Cost for two single items as two-packs aren't sold. Prices based on 9-year-old sizes and correct as of 9 August 2023, except for Morrisons and Tesco which were checked on 26 July 2023.Are parents of girls paying the pink tax?
Morrisons, meanwhile, was cheapest for the pinafore dresses (£10) and skirts (£8). Bear in mind that we’ve purely focused on price for this snapshot research, and haven’t rated the uniforms' quality, comfort or durability.
Our analysis also uncovered that girls’ trousers are less commonly available in two-packs. If you're shopping at John Lewis, Matalan, Morrisons or Next and want more than one pair you'll have to buy multiple single items, which at each retailer except Next means paying more than you would for two pairs of boys' trousers, which are sold in two-packs (except at Next).
We didn't include Aldi or Lidl in our research as their school uniform went on sale on 6 July and they tend to sell out very quickly. Both retailers were selling a bundle of uniform - a sweatshirt, two polo shirts, and a skirt or trousers - for just a fiver, so it's worth visiting your local store to see if any are left.
Find out more:Seven quick tips to save on school uniform
1. Buy second-hand
Check whether the school or its PTA (Parent Teacher Association) does second-hand uniform sales. You could also search charity shops, Facebook Marketplace, Freecycle, Olio and Vinted.
Find out more:2. Size up
3. Buddy up
If you spot a large multipack that contains more items than you need and it offers better value than smaller packs, go halves with a friend and share the items between your children.
4. Get crafty
One savvy Which? member told us that when her son needed a larger blazer, she bought a plain one from the high street, removed the badge from his old blazer and sewed it onto the new one.
5. Keep an eye out for deals
6. Check outlet stores for shoes
Find out more:7. Check if you’re eligible for help
You may also be able to put the Pupil Premium towards your uniform, and some local authorities in England provide discretionary grants.
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