Back to school used to involve a few sacred things – making sure you had a new pencil case to fit your protractor and compass, having your feet sized in Clarks for your new shoes and going to the specialist school uniform shop to get kitted out.

These days it’s very different. School uniforms are no longer just the domain of specialist shops and many retailers have waded into the battleground. The likes of Woolworths and Marks & Spencer have a heritage in school uniforms, but now you can also pick up a jumper and skirt while you’re doing your grocery shopping at Tesco or Asda.

For parents, the school uniform wars mean that prices have come down. Tesco was the latest to launch its range this week with a Value uniform starting from£3.50. This follows Asda’s at£4 and Marks & Spencer’s from£6.50.

All the grocers have varying caveats to these prices. For some it’s a flat rate for certain items, for others it’s just a starting point. It’s unclear if the grocers can make much of a profit from such deals as all of them fight for the school uniform pound.

The low prices are clearly representative of the climate we are in. It’s tough out there, but parents still have to clothe their children and if the retailer can attract them in for their clothes, they will probably do their grocery shopping too.

Kids’ clothes is also an area that is still holding up. Parents may not be treating themselves to new clothes or shoes, but they’re still buying for their kids. Next chief executive Simon Wolfson said last week that shoppers have cut down the most on menswear and the least on childrenswear.

Yet, while parents will be grateful for the low prices on school uniforms in the face of rising household bills and food inflation, can they be sure that these garments were sourced ethically?

Some parents must have had a second thought when picking up a polo shirt for 75p or a skirt for£1.75. While the grocers clearly have huge buying capacity, the prices remain unbelievably low.

Ethically sourced garments may not be top of the agenda when the purse strings are tight, but when it comes to clothing their children, parents will probably think about it more than they would for garments for themselves.

In all probability, the garments are sourced ethically and the grocers are just taking a hit on profits to get customers through the door. But it does make you think twice.

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