Back to school burden

MEDIA RELEASE
January 16, 2017

Back to school burden: 88% of Kiwi parents expected to feel the pinch

· 88% of Kiwi families experience financial stress caused by buying uniforms at back to school time (35% experiencing ‘significant’ financial stress)

· As a result, families are sacrificing basic necessities such as food, electricity, clothing and personal hygiene (22%) alongside entertainment (60%), gifts (22%) and personal luxuries like homewares and fashion clothing (70%)

· 72% of parents find school uniforms too expensive and 53% of parents believe they are poor quality

· Parents think they are paying more than double for school uniforms than what they are worth. The average cost of a child’s school uniform is $265, with parents ideally wanting to spend only $131

· 69% of parents would like the option to purchase a generic uniform alternative

As families emerge from the Christmas period with lighter wallets and tighter budgets, the thought of preparing for a new school year can be overwhelming for many.

One of the biggest culprits? The humble school uniform.

New research undertaken by PureProfile on behalf of Postie+[1] reveals a whopping 88 per cent of Kiwi families experience financial stress due to buying uniforms at the start of a new year.

As a result of this stress, families are being forced to make a number of sacrifices. Almost a quarter of the parents surveyed (22%) were found to be sacrificing basic necessities such as food, electricity, clothing, and personal hygiene in order to cater for their children’s hefty back to school needs.

The study also revealed only one in five schools allows generic alternatives to school uniforms (18%), with 69 per cent of parents wanting a generic option to be provided at their child's school if it could save them money. Parents also believe they are paying more than double than what uniforms are worth, with the data showing the average cost of a child’s school uniform is $265, with parents ideally wanting to spend only $131.

“It’s astonishing for parents that have difficulty keeping up with basic everyday costs to then have to shell out hundreds of dollars for something they don’t have a choice in, which doesn’t necessarily represent affordability or value for them. I am sure many parents would be relieved to see there is a cheaper option,” says Shula Newland, owner of Full Balance Financial Coaching.

In an effort to deliver quality, affordable clothes to all Kiwi families, retailer Postie+ is launching an exclusive brand of school uniform basics, School+.

With parent friendly features across the range that include sun resistance (UPF25+), easy iron and machine washability, School+ offers 100% cotton polo shirts for $3, shorts from $7, shirts from $7 and a jacket at $10, meaning kids can be kitted out (with just shoes left to purchase) for under $50.[2]

“It’s evident that parents want more choice, and it’s time they were given all of the information they need to weigh up their options. When $3 polo shirts boast 100% cotton fabrication, sun protection, and are backed with our 100-day quality guarantee, it’s increasingly hard to justify why a branded one commands up to $49,” says Postie+ Merchandise Director Linda Leonard.

“As a part of one of the world’s largest retailers of children’s clothes, Postie+ knows the importance of offering affordable, great quality school clothes. That’s why the School+ range is backed by our 100-day quality guarantee and we’ve priced each item to suit the household budget.”

The Postie+ exclusive School+ range is a further extension of the retailer’s commitment to quality and affordability, and is instore now.

[1] Survey commissioned by Postie+ via PureProfile Research using an online survey method. This survey was completed by over 500 NZ parents in December 2016.
2 Based on purchase of three $3 polos, one $10 jacket, one $5 hat, two $7 shorts or skorts and five $2 2-pack pairs of socks from the School+ range

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