Consumer authority suggests ‘simple designs’ to reduce school uniform prices

Presenting its preliminary report on the supply of school uniforms to the Social Affairs Committee (SAC), the MCCAA said it found significant price differences between generic and specific school uniform items.

By way of example, the difference between ‘generic’ and ‘specific’ would be a white shirt with a particular badge, it said.

The Authority conducted a survey of 40 (out of 99) state schools, 35 (out of 79) church schools and 22 (out of 49) independent schools, for pre-primary, primary and secondary level. The survey revealed price discrepancies between the minimum and maximum prices of certain school uniform items. This discrepancy was highlighted when a school requests specific items.

In its findings, the Authority said that “school uniform items bought from specific retailers tend to be more inflated than those purchased from generic retailers.”

It also noted how schools are designing school uniforms specific to the school, restricting the possibility of parents to shop around: “This is placing parents in a vulnerable position in terms of price, quality and retailer.”

Specific school uniforms are also created for the state schools, to differentiate between the various colleges.

“Schools should not opt for complicated designs, unusual colours or a combination of both. Uniforms should be kept as simple as possible,” MCCAA said in a bid to address the high prices.

“Schools should also offer the option that certain school uniform items such as shirts and trousers may be purchased from any general retailer, while colour codes, patterns, designs and material should be readily available to general retailers andparents.”

The spokesperson added that it was found that depending on the patterns and colour codes, the prices varied drastically.

The spokesperson added that exclusive arrangements between a school and a retailer should be made following an open transparent bidding process: “Such arrangements should be limited in time and should be restricted at the wholesale level to create competition at the retail level.”

In the case of Church schools, nearly all selected schools had a specific school uniform, while all selected independent schools required a specific uniform. In the case of Church schools, it was found that all uniforms are either bought from the school or retailers indicated by the school.

In the case of independent schools, nearly all were found to certain exclusive arrangements with particular suppliers or retailers: “These arrangements would by contracts or sometimes also by word of mouth agreements,” a representative of the Authority said.

The survey showed that the average price of the girls’ school uniform (€120.66) in state primary schools was higher than the boys’ (€117.30). The average price difference was €3.36.

A significant difference in price was found between girls’ and boys’ school uniforms in Church and Independent school. It was found that the average price for a girl’s uniform attending Church secondary school was €227.10, while that of a was €188.03.

In the case of independent schools the average price of a girl’s uniform attending secondary school was €223.58, while a boy’s costed an average of €236.56.

The survey also showed difference in what constitutes a uniform across the various schools. According to the MCCAA’s report, a state school uniform would require 11 items, nine items for the Church schools and 11 items for independent schools.

Commenting on the report, Social Affairs Committee Chairman Edwin Vassallo said a balance should be reached between creating the identity of a college through uniforms and keeping in mind the price it would cost parents.

He also said that while it is positive that studies and reports are being carried out, it should not take too long to reach concrete decisions on the issue.

Labour MP Anthony Zammit questioned why it took so long for the MCCAA to conduct a study on the supply of school uniforms, when this has been a long-standing issue. He added that while creating an identity for each individual college is important, these should not be complicated.

“If you want identity just do a simple badge or tie. The more you complicate, the more you give space for abuse,” Zammit said. “The sense of belonging to a particular college is not based on coloured blazers.”