Cheapest UK supermarkets to buy school uniform are revealed – plus new rule that can cut your bill

IT’S almost back to school time, and supermarkets across the UK are stocking a range of term-time essentials. And some UK retailers are offering better deals on uniform buys than others. Retailers across the country are currently holding back to school sales (stock image) Credit: Getty Parents can get better value for their money if they shop around for school uniform buys (stock image) Credit: Catherine Falls Commercial While a new rule has been brought in to make uniforms more affordable for families, back to school shopping can still be a costly venture. However, if you compare the cost per item for school clothes across each retailer, you are sure to find the best value for your money. Sign up for the Money newsletter Thank you! Asda Asda shoppers can pick up a two-pack of polo shirts for £3 to £6, breaking down to £1.50 to £3 each, while a three-pack of long-sleeve shirts range from £4.50 to £7.50, which amounts to £1.50 to £2.50 each. Two packs of trousers are available from £8 to £12, or £4 to £6 each, and a two-pack of pleated skirts is £8 to £14, or £4-£7 each, meaning the total for one pack of a top and bottoms will cost you from £23.50 to £39.50. M&S At M&S, two polo shirts well set you back somewhere between £4.50 to £10, breaking down to £2.25 to £5 each, while long-sleeve shirts are available in three-packs for £10 to £19, or £3.33 to £6.33 each. Trousers are available in packs of two for £11 to £17, or £5.50 to £8.50 each, while a pleated skirt ranges from £7 to £12, leading a total uniform cost of £32.50 to £58 for a shirt and bottoms. Next A two-pack of polo shirts at Next ranges from £6 to £12, breaking down to £3 to £6 each, while a two-pack of long-sleeve shirts is available for £9 to £17, or £4.50-£8.50 each. Meanwhile trousers are listed for £8 to £16, or shoppers can pick up a two-pack of pleated skirts for £12 to £20, which is £6 to £10 each, which means the total for a full uniform ranges from £41 to £65. Most read in Money Sainsbury’s At Sainsbury’s, a two-pack of polo shirts ranges from £3 to £6, £1.50 to £3 each, while long-sleeve shirts are available in packs of three from £4.50 to £9.50, breaking down to £1.50 to £3.17 each. Two packs of trousers cost between £7 and £13, which equates to just £3.50 to £6.50 each, and a two-pack of pleated skirts is available for the same price range, meaning parents will spend between £21.50 and £41.50. Tesco Finally, Tesco offers a two-pack of polo shirts for £3 to £5, which equates to £1.50 to £2.50 each, and a three-pack of long-sleeve shirts goes from £5.50 to £9.50, which breaks down to £1.83 to £3.17 each. And a pack of two trousers is £7 to £11, or £3.50 to £5.50 each, while a pleated skirt costs between £6 and £8, meaning the total cost of uniform will range from £21.50 to £33.50. Which shop is cheapest overall? Overall, Asda comes out on top for the lowest pricing in every category, while Tesco is the runner up. Sainsbury’s lands around the middle for competitive prices, while both M&S and Next tend to be on the slightly pricier side, however, many parents may opt for these stores for quality and durability of the items. What is the new school uniform rule? New legislation under the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act will limit branded uniform items to a maximum of three pieces. It encompasses jumpers, blazers, trousers, and skirts, with ties not included in these restrictions for secondary schools. This means the requirement for four items of branded uniform will be allowed if one of these is a tie. Families are expected to save around £50 under this new legislation, coming into effect from September. School uniform price comparison Asda: £23.50 to £39.50 for a whole uniform M&S: £32.50 to £58 for a whole uniform Next: £41 to £65 for a whole uniform Sainsbury’s: £21.50 to £41.50 for a whole uniform Tesco: £21.50 to £33.50 for a whole uniform A whole uniform in this case refers to a shirt (polo or long-sleeve) and either a skirt or trousers. Comment now