As UK families gear up to send their children and teenagers back to school, new research of over 2,000 parents from Nationwide has revealed just how different the new term shop looks in 2025, with parents expecting to spend £329 per child.
Nationwide’s research found that a fifth (20%) of families are spending an average of £137 more than last year*, with over a third (36%) claiming that social media is driving their children's demand for trendy new school essentials, underscoring the growing impact of online trends on family budgets.
Social media and ‘haul culture’ is shifting back to school shopping expectations for children, as there are more than 143,000 videos on TikTok for #backtoschoolshopping** alone. From viral trends to influencer recommendations, parents can forget notebooks, pencil cases and highlighters like they will remember at school. PE kits are being swapped for requests for athleisure wear, with almost one in five (17%) requesting the latest leggings, closely followed by requests for bag charms (16%), new phones (14%) and new make-up (10%).
When it comes to the factors influencing these demands, over a third (36%) of parents agree that social media is a key factor, alongside:
- Desire to fit in with their friends - 43%
- Peer pressure - 39%
- Social media platforms i.e. TikTok, Instagram, YouTube - 36%
- Social media influencers - 29%
- Passing trends - 24%
Nine in 10 (90%) parents believe that the cost of back-to-school items is increasing, with essential spend on items such as such as school uniforms (40%) and footwear (22%) taking up a significant share of the spend. However, parents are also being asked to accommodate requests for items such as a new phone, which almost half of parents (45%) consider to be unnecessary.
With young and teen expectations rising, many families are feeling the financial strain. Over half (56%) of parents admit to feeling pressure to spend beyond their means, as almost a third (28%) revealed that they rely on saving throughout the year and second-hand shopping (16%) to fulfil their children’s back-to-school needs. 1 in 8 (13%) said that they’ve tracked their spending via a digital banking app to make the costs of back-to-school spending more manageable.
Infographic - The most popular items in parent's schoolbags from their time at school vs their children's most requested 'essentials', according to Nationwide research*
The top 5 most requested items by kids and teenagers are:
- New clothes (43%)
- New stationery/ notebooks (35%)
- Branded schoolbags (34%)
- Premium water bottles (27%)
- Designer bags (23%)
Other items on the so-called ‘essentials’ list by kids and teenagers include:
- Premium water bottles (27%)
- New laptop (18%)
- Bag charms (16%)
- Hair accessories (16%)
- New headphones/earbuds/AirPods (14%)
- New phone (14%)
- New make-up (10%)
Case study: Parent, Sophie Wilson, who has one child aged five, shares her experience managing the back-to-school shop.
“This year we’ll be spending around £200 on back-to-school items, with school trainers and shoes topping the list.
“We’re very fortunate that our school has a great second-hand clothing shop, run by the Parents’ Association, 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.
“I’ve also found reselling apps such as Vinted to be a way to save. I’ve often bought school shoes from Vinted because they tend to be hardly worn. Usually, a parent has just bought the wrong size or the child has suddenly had a growth spurt, and they come in at about 50% of the cost!”
Whether you’re battling requests from your young ones or just trying to balance your bank account, personal financial expert, Sue Hayward said:
“Back to school is an expensive time of year as research shows some parents spend over £300 kitting their children out for the new school term. Pester power caused by social media trends can bring an added financial headache for families with one in three saying they feel under pressure to spend beyond their means.
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.”
To find out more about Nationwide’s budgeting tools and techniques, visit https://www.nationwide.co.uk/help/managing-your-money/how-to-budget/
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