Save money on school uniforms at Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and M&S

Supermarkets are cutting prices on school uniform, with Sainsbury's offering 15% off Tu school uniform and footwear online until Monday, August 17, while Morrisons has brought back its 25% off Nutmeg school uniform promotion.

But parents who have missed the biggest early summer sales could still save by shopping around, buying supermarket basics and looking for pre-loved items rather than paying high-street prices.

Sainsbury's Tu school uniform sale

Sainsbury's Tu has launched 15% off school uniform and footwear online until Monday, August 17, giving parents another chance to cut the cost of their September shopping.

Some of the prices available include:

• 2-pack denim blue unisex polo shirts – from £2.55
• 2-pack royal blue sweatshirts – from £3.40
• Grey tabard pinafore – from £5.10
• 2-pack grey permanent pleat skirts – from £5.95
• 2-pack dark red knitted cardigans – from £6.80
• 2-pack navy sweat cardigans – from £4.25
• 3-pack white short-sleeve shirts – from £3.40
• 2-pack green gingham dresses – from £8.50
• 2-pack grey school shorts – from £5.10
• 2-pack grey trousers with reinforced knees and extendable hem – from £5.95
• Black PU lace trainers – from £13.60
• Black leather-look chunky loafers – from £17

Morrisons cuts Nutmeg uniform prices

Morrisons has also brought back its 25% off Nutmeg school uniform offer, running until Sunday, August 16.

The promotion covers essentials including shirts, polo shirts, trousers, skirts and PE kit.

Examples include:

• 3-pack polo shirts – £3.71, down from £4.95
• 2-pack white shirts – £5.25, down from £7
• 2-pack boys' trousers – £7.50, down from £10
• 2-pack woven skirts – £6.75, down from £9

The range includes features such as reinforced knees, adjustable waists and hems, while Morrisons' one-price promise means parents pay the same price regardless of their child's age or size.

M&S multipacks can help keep school uniform costs down

(Image: M&S)

Another option for parents trying to make their school uniform budget stretch further is to buy everyday essentials in multipacks rather than purchasing individual items.

M&S school uniform has a range of schoolwear designed for regular washing and growing children, with multipacks starting from £7.

Some of the better-value options include:

• 3-pack polos – £7: Made with Stainaway technology and StayNew™ to help keep them looking brighter for longer.
• 2-pack trousers – £11: With adjustable waists, crease-resistant fabric and a stain and weather-resistant finish.
• 3-pack shirts – £10: Easy-iron fabric and Expandicuff™ on styles up to age 10.
• 2-pack jumpers – £11: Featuring StayNew™ technology to help maintain colour and finish.
• 2-pack skirts – £10: With adjustable waists, durable crease-resistant fabric and permanent pleats.

Buying several of the basics together can be particularly useful for younger children, who can get through shirts and polo shirts at an alarming rate.

For families trying to reduce the September bill, multipacks are worth comparing against single-item prices, particularly for pieces such as polo shirts, shirts and trousers that children are likely to wear repeatedly.

Save on back to school socks and tights with Sockshop (Image: Sockshop)

Don't forget specialist retailers

It is also worth looking beyond the supermarkets when putting together a school uniform, particularly for items such as socks and tights.

SOCKSHOP has a dedicated range of children's school socks and tights in black, white and grey, with several low-cost options and multi-buy offers.

Some of the current deals include:

• Kids' bamboo plain and striped socks – £1.99 a pair, or five for £4.99
• Kids' bamboo trainer socks – £1.49 a pair, or three for £2.99
• Girls' bamboo plain tights – £4.99 a pair, or two for £7.99
• Kids' bamboo knee-high socks – £2.49 a pair, or three for £4.99
• Kids' cushioned bamboo sports socks – £2.49 a pair, or three for £4.99
• Heat Holders thermal tights – £8.99
• Falke back-to-school cotton socks – £6.99

For parents working through a school checklist, socks and tights can be easy to overlook until the final shopping trip. Buying several pairs at once through a multi-buy offer could therefore be a simple way to spread the cost and avoid having to replace them halfway through the term.

As with any school uniform purchase, check your school's exact colour and style requirements before ordering, particularly if it has rules around sock length or tights.

Save on back to school socks and tights with Sockshop (Image: Sockshop)

How to save more money on back to school buys

Websites such as Topcashback have deals where you can get money back on your buys, and often a sign up bonus if you aren't already a member. There are currently deals with Sainsbury's and Morrisons - sign up using this link and then search for the retailers to see their current cashback offers.

Deals expert Ben Smye from HotUKDeals said parents should not panic if they missed the traditional July sales: “My advice to parents is this: don’t stress about having missed the ‘perfect’ buying window.”

He added that there were still deals to be found in August, while buying closer to the start of term could help parents avoid children outgrowing clothes before they have even been worn.

Second-hand uniform could save parents £75

For families looking to cut costs even further, Gumtree data suggests buying pre-loved could make a significant difference.

Its figures show that a school shirt, trousers, shoes and bag could cost around £33 second-hand, compared with approximately £108 using a basket of sampled high-street prices from M&S, Next and Clarks.

That represents a potential saving of around £75.

Could waiting until term starts save more?

Parents may be tempted to wait for end-of-season reductions, and there is some evidence that prices can fall as retailers clear stock.

Gumtree's earlier analysis found the average advertised price of a school coat was £18 in April, rising to £28 during the peak July shopping period.

However, waiting until the final days before term starts comes with a risk: sizes and colours can become harder to find.

Smye said parents should therefore consider buying essential basics now while keeping an eye out for further reductions later in August.

Gumtree CEO Nav Dhillon said: “Back-to-school shopping lands at an expensive point in the year, when many families are already paying for childcare, activities and days out during the summer holidays.”

He added: “Our data suggests parents could find a basic basket of uniform essentials and a school bag for around £33 secondhand, potentially saving approximately £75 compared with the equivalent sampled high-street basket.”

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Five ways to save on school uniform

1. Check the school rules first
Find out which items need school branding and which can be bought from supermarkets.

2. Shop around
Compare supermarket prices with high-street retailers before buying everything in one place.

3. Look for second-hand uniform
Check school uniform shops, Vinted, eBay, Facebook Marketplace and local selling groups.

4. Buy bundles
Multipacks and bundles can bring the cost per item down, particularly for shirts, polo shirts and trousers.

5. Check before you buy
If buying second-hand, ask for measurements rather than relying on the age printed on the label and check high-wear areas such as knees, collars, cuffs and shoe soles.

For families trying to keep costs under control, the biggest saving may not come from finding one spectacular deal, but from mixing discounted supermarket basics with carefully chosen second-hand branded items.