Parents are feeling the pressure as their children are demanding more expensive back-to-school items thanks to “haul culture” on social media platforms.
Costs have soared by 70 per cent, according to new research by Nationwide, with families being forced to fork out £329 per child – a £137 increase on last year.
A new survey has found that over a third (36 per cent) of parents blame the increase on popular trending pharses pushing more expensive items on social media site, including Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.
Items requested by children include premium water bottles (demanded by 27 per cent), the latest leggings (17 per cent), bag charms (16 per cent), new phones (14 per cent) and new make-up (10 per cent).
Other requests include designer bags (23 per cent), new laptops (18 per cent), hair accessories (16 per cent), and new headphones, earbuds or airpods, which sit at 14 per cent.
However, other factors are also involved in the price boost, with 43 per cent attributing the requests to children’s desire to fit in to peer pressure (39 per cent).
Sophie Wilson, a mother of a five-year-old girl, said that she spent nearly £200 on her back-to-school items with “school trainers and shoes topping the list”.
Wilson has been savvy with her purchases, opting to buy things second-hand instead of brand-new.
“We’re very fortunate that our school has a great second-hand clothing shop, run by the Parents’ Association,” she said.
“So I tend to buy all my daughter’s school-branded items from there and then supplement them with additional t-shirts and tights bought during the high-street sales.”
She also recommended apps such as Vinted, where she has found deals that have saved her nearly 50 per cent off in some instances.
The survey, conducted on 2,001 parents of primary and secondary school children, also revealed their general anxiety around rising costs.
Over half (56 per cent) feel pressure to spend beyond their means, while nine in ten believe the cost of back-to-school items is increasing.
Nearly a third (28 per cent) are relying on saving throughout the year to afford the costs and 16 per cent partake in second-hand shopping to fulfil children’s needs.
School uniforms (40 per cent) and footwear (22 per cent) take up the lion’s share of expenditure, but 45 per cent of parents think requests for items such as phones are unnecessary. Digital banking apps are also used to track spending by 16 per cent of respondents.
Sue Hayward, a financial expert, advised: “Cash strapped parents can save by stocking up on basics like polo tops, jumpers and stationery with supermarket deals, and it’s also worth looking for ‘nearly new’ uniform on sites such as Vinted and eBay.
“With branded uniform, buying ‘outgrown’ items through the school or your local Facebook group can also help save money. And local councils may offer financial help with school uniform costs, depending on where you live.”
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