United Kingdom (UK) Back to School Retail Market: Analyzing Trends, Consumer Attitudes, Occasions and Key Players

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Published: September 25, 2025 Report Code: GDRT250017OC-ST

Report Overview
Key Players
Table of Contents
Table
Figures

The GlobalData Retail Back to School 2025 report forms part of the Retail Occasions series, and offers a comprehensive overview of the major retail occasion of students returning to school after the summer holiday, analysing the market, the major players, the main trends and consumer attitudes.

Scope

The GlobalData School Back to School 2024 report forms part of the School Occasions series and offers a comprehensive overview of the major school occasion of students returning to school after the summer holiday, analyzing the market, the major players, the main trends, and consumer attitudes.

Key Highlights

Back to school shoppers spend more on the occasion this year compared to 2024

Price remains a crucial factor influencing retailer choice in all back to school categories

Tesco wins out again in back to school, closely followed by ASDA

Reasons to Buy

Use our in-depth consumer insight to learn which back to school categories are shopped the most by consumers, to adapt back to school ranges to current trends.

Understand what drives consumers to use a retailer for their purchases, such as convenience, value for money and delivery options, in order to maximise sales potential.

Use our average spend data to understand how much consumers are prepared to pay in each back to school category and which categories consumers are most willing to invest in higher priced items.

Adidas
Aldi
Amazon
Argos
ASDA
B&M
Clark's
Co-op
Directschoolwear.co.uk
Foyles
H&M
Hobbycraft
Home Bargains
JD Sports
JD Williams
John Lewis & Partners
Lidl
Marks & Spencer
Matalan
Morrisons
Next
Nike
Poundland
Primark
Ryman
Sainsbury's
SchoolUniform247.co.uk
School Uniform Direct
SchoolUniformShop.co.uk
SHEIN
Smiggle
Sports Direct
Temu
Tesco
The Book Depository
The Works
Uniform4Kids
Waitrose & Partners
Waterstones
WH Smith
Yourschooluniform.com
Zara

THE KEY FINDINGS

Summary of Back to School 2025

The Key Findings

As back to school spending rises, shoppers seek deals and promotions

Fewer consumers bought secondhand back to school items due to hygiene and durability concerns

Teens drive renewed interest in back to school stationery

Trend insight – stores

Trend insight – online

CONSUMER ATTITUDES

Financial wellbeing

Back to school spending

Financial spending

Did you cut back

Research

Promotions

Schoolchildren purchased for

Back to school spending

Retailer selection

Retailer ratings – grocers

Retailer ratings – non-food retailers

Secondhand back to school purchases

Secondhand purchase motivations

Secondhand purchase deterrents

Purchase intentions

Purchases made in the last year

Purchases made throughout the year

Retailer drivers by category

UNIFORM

Buying dynamics

Retailer used

Retailer selection

Research

Channel usage

Store type

Device usage

Fulfilment

Embroidery/alteration services

Factors of importance

Buying dynamics

SPORTSWEAR AND SPORTS EQUIPMENT

Buying dynamics

Retailer used

Retailer selection

Channel usage

Store type

Device usage

Fulfilment

Buying dynamics

STATIONERY

Buying dynamics

Retailer used

Retailer selection

Channel usage

Store type

Device usage

Fulfilment

Buying dynamics

SCHOOL ACCESSORIES

Buying dynamics

Retailer used

Retailer selection

Channel usage

Store type

Device usage

Fulfilment

Buying dynamics

BOOKS

Buying dynamics

Retailer used

Retailer selection

Channel usage

Store type

Device usage

Fulfilment

Buying dynamics

METHODOLOGY

Technical details: Consumer survey work

Technical details: Definitions

Table

Retailer ratings across key measures – grocers, 2025

Retailer ratings across key measures – non-food retailers, 2025

Secondhand back to school products purchased, 2025

Products intended to purchase, 2024 & 2025

Percentage point change – top 10 retailers shopped at for uniform, 2024 to 2025

Products purchased – trousers, dresses and skirts, 2024 & 2025

Retailers used – trousers, dresses and skirts, 2024 & 2025

Average spend – trousers, dresses and skirts, 2024 & 2025

Products purchased – shirts and blouses, 2024 & 2025

Average spend – shirts and blouses, 2024 & 2025

Retailers used – shirts and blouses, 2024 & 2025

Products purchased – blazers & jackets, 2024 & 2025

Average spend – blazers & jackets, 2024 & 2025

Retailers used – blazers & jackets, 2024 & 2025

Products purchased – underwear, 2024 & 2025

Retailers used – underwear, 2024 & 2025

Average spend – underwear, 2024 & 2025

Products purchased – sweaters, 2024 & 2025

Average spend – sweaters, 2024 & 2025

Retailers used – sweaters, 2024 & 2025

Products purchased – footwear, 2024 & 2025

Average spend – footwear, 2024 & 2025

Retailers used – footwear, 2024 & 2025

Products purchased – accessories, 2024 & 2025

Average spend – accessories, 2024 & 2025

Retailers used – accessories, 2024 & 2025

Categories bought on impulse by uniform shoppers, 2024, 2025 & percentage point change

Percentage point change – top 10 retailers shopped at for sportswear 2024 to 2025

Products purchased – sportswear, 2024 & 2025

Retailers used – sportswear, 2024 & 2025

Average spend – sportswear, 2024 & 2025

Products purchased – sports footwear, 2024 & 2025

Average spend – sports footwear, 2024 & 2025

Retailers used – sports footwear, 2024 & 2025

Products purchased – sports equipment, 2024 & 2025

Average spend – sports equipment, 2024 & 2025

Retailers used – sports equipment, 2024 & 2025

Categories bought on impulse by sportswear & sports equipment shoppers, 2024, 2025 & percentage point change

Percentage point change – top 10 retailers shopped at for sportswear & sports equipment 2024 to 2025

Products purchased – pens and pencils, 2024 & 2025

Retailers used – pens and pencils, 2024 & 2025

Average spend – pens and pencils, 2024 & 2025

Products purchased – stationery essentials, 2024 & 2025

Retailers used – stationery essentials, 2024 & 2025

Average spend – stationery essentials, 2024 & 2025

Products purchased – other stationery, 2024 & 2025

Retailers used – other stationery, 2024 & 2025

Average spend – other stationery, 2024 & 2025

Products purchased – notebooks, diaries and organisers, 2024 & 2025

Average spend – notebooks, diaries and organisers, 2024 & 2025

Retailers used – notebooks, diaries and organisers, 2024 & 2025

Products purchased – paper, 2024 & 2025

Average spend – paper, 2024 & 2025

Retailers used – paper, 2024 & 2025

Categories bought on impulse by stationery shoppers, 2024, 2025 & percentage point change

Percentage point change – top 10 retailers shopped at for school accessories 2024 to 2025

Products purchased – food accessories, 2024 & 2025

Average spend – food accessories, 2024 & 2025

Retailers used – food accessories, 2024 & 2025

Products purchased – school bag, 2024 & 2025

Average spend – school bag, 2024 & 2025

Retailers used – school bag, 2024 & 2025

Products purchased – hair accessories, 2024 & 2025

Average spend – hair accessories, 2024 & 2025

Retailers used – hair accessories, 2024 & 2025

Categories bought on impulse by school accessories shoppers, 2024, 2025 & percentage point change

Percentage point change – top 10 retailers shopped at for books 2024 to 2025

Products purchased – books for lessons, 2024 & 2025

Average spend – books for lessons, 2024 & 2025

Retailers used – books for lessons, 2024 & 2025

Products purchased – revision guides, 2024 & 2025

Average spend – revision guides, 2024 & 2025

Retailers used – revision guides, 2024 & 2025

Categories bought on impulse by book shoppers, 2024, 2025 & percentage point change

Figures

Gender and age of children that consumers purchased uniform for, 2025

Back to school spending by category, 2025

Most used promotions on back to school products, 2025

Most purchased stationery categories, 2025

Back to school shoppers purchasing sports products 2021-2025

Top retailers shopped at for school accessories, 2025

Financial wellbeing compared to last year, 2024 & 2025

Total back to school spending compared to last year, 2024 & 2025

How consumers financed back to school spending, 2024 & 2025

The proportion of back to school shoppers that stated they actively cut back on spending this year compared to last, 2024 & 2025

Research undertaken before purchasing back to school, 2025 & change on 2024

Influence of promotions on back to school shopping habits, 2024 & 2025

Influence of promotions on when consumers purchase back to school products, 2024 & 2025

The types of promotions that are appealing and have been used, 2024

The number of schoolchildren purchased for, 2024 & 2025

The proportion of back to school spending on each category, 2024 & 2025

Retailers that did the best job promoting back to school, 2025 & change on 2024

Secondhand back to school 2025 item penetration (by gender and age of child bought for), & 2023, 2024

Secondhand items purchased, 2025 & change on 2024

Secondhand sportswear or sports equipment items purchased, 2025 & change on 2024

Reasons for purchasing secondhand items, 2025 & change on 2024

Reasons for not purchasing secondhand items, 2025 & change on 2024

Intention to purchase any more products for back to school throughout this academic year (2025/26) (by gender and age of child bought for), 2023-2025

Proportion of back to school shoppers that purchased throughout the year, during the last academic year, 2023, 2024 & 2025

Purchases made throughout the year, 2025

What's driving retailer selection summary, 2025

Back to school 2025 uniform penetration (by gender and age of child bought for), & 2023, 2024

Top 10 retailers shopped at for uniform, 2024 & 2025 & change on 2024

What's driving retailer selection (uniform), 2025 & change on 2024

Research undertaken before purchasing back to school (uniform), 2025 & change on 2024

Consumers using each channel for back to school uniform purchases, 2024 & 2025

Consumers using each store type for back to school uniform purchases, 2024 & 2025

Consumers using each device for back to school uniform purchases, 2024 & 2025

Fulfilment options for uniform purchases made online, 2024 & 2025

Requirement and use of alteration services, 2024 & 2025

Reasons why embroidery services were not used, 2024 & 2025

Awareness of uniform embroidery/alteration services, 2025 & change on 2024

Factors of importance (uniform), 2024 & 2025

Back to school 2025 trousers dresses and skirts penetration (by gender & age of child bought for), 2024 & 2023 trousers dresses and skirts penetration

Trousers fit, length & style purchased, 2025

Skirt length & style purchased, 2025

Back to school 2025 shirts & blouses penetration (by gender & age of child bought for), 2024 & 2023 shirts & blouses penetration

Shirts fit purchased, 2025

Blouses fit purchased, 2025

Back to school 2025 blazers & jackets penetration (by gender & age of child bought for), 2024 & 2023 blazers & jackets penetration

Back to school 2025 underwear penetration (by gender & age of child bought for), 2024 & 2023 underwear penetration

Back to school 2025 sweaters penetration (by gender & age of child bought for), 2024 & 2023 sweaters penetration

Back to school 2025 footwear penetration (by gender & age of child bought for), 2024 & 2023 footwear penetration

Shoe fit purchased, 2025

Back to school 2025 accessories penetration (by gender & age of child bought for), 2024 & 2023 accessories penetration

Planned/impulse purchases (overall uniform), 2025

Back to school 2025 sportswear & sports equipment penetration (by gender & age of child bought for) and 2024 & 2023 penetration

Top 10 retailers shopped at for sportswear and sports equipment 2024 & 2025 & change on 2024

What's driving retailer selection (sportswear and sports equipment), 2025 & change on 2024

Consumers using each channel for purchasing sportswear and equipment, 2024 & 2025

Consumers using each store type for purchasing sportswear and equipment, 2024 & 2025

Consumers using each device for purchasing sportswear & equipment, 2024 & 2025

Fulfilment options for sportswear and sports equipment purchases made online, 2024 & 2025

Back to school 2025 sportswear penetration (by gender & age of child bought for), 2024 & 2023 sportswear penetration

Back to school 2025 sports footwear penetration (by gender & age of child bought for), 2024 & 2023 sports footwear penetration

Back to school 2025 sports equipment penetration (by gender & age of child bought for), 2024 & 2023 sports equipment penetration

Planned/impulse purchases (sportswear and sports equipment), 2025

Back to school 2025 stationery penetration (by gender & age of child bought for), 2024 & 2023 stationery penetration

Top 10 retailers shopped at for stationery 2024 & 2025, & change on 2024

What's driving retailer selection (stationery), 2025 & change on 2024

Consumers using each channel for purchasing stationery, 2024 & 2025

Consumers using each store type for purchasing stationery, 2024 & 2025

Consumers using each device for purchasing stationery, 2024 & 2025

Fulfilment options for stationery purchases made online, 2024 & 2025

Back to school 2025 pens and pencils penetration (by gender & age of child bought for), 2024 & 2023 pens and pencils penetration

Back to school 2025 stationery essentials penetration (by gender & age of child bought for), 2024 & 2023 stationery essentials penetration

Back to school 2025 other stationery penetration (by gender & age of child bought for), 2024 & 2023 other stationery

Back to school 2025 notebooks, diaries and organisers penetration (by gender & age of child bought for), 2024 & 2023 notebooks, diaries and organisers penetration

Back to school 2025 paper penetration (by gender & age of child bought for), 2024 & 2023 paper penetration

Planned/impulse purchases (stationery), 2025

Back to school 2025 school accessories penetration (by gender & age of child bought for), 2024 & 2023 school accessories penetration

Top 10 retailers shopped at for school accessories 2024 & 2025, & change on 2024

What's driving retailer selection (school accessories), 2025 & change on 2024

Consumers using each channel for purchasing school accessories, 2024 & 2025

Consumers using each store type for purchasing school accessories, 2024 & 2025

Consumers using each device for purchasing school accessories, 2024 & 2025

Fulfilment options for school accessories purchases made online, 2024 & 2025

Back to school 2025 food accessories penetration (by gender & age of child bought for), 2024 & 2023 food accessories penetration

Back to school 2025 school bag penetration (by gender & age of child bought for), 2024 & 2023 school bag penetration

Back to school 2025 hair accessories penetration (by gender & age of child bought for), 2024 & 2023 hair accessories penetration

Planned/impulse purchases (school accessories), 2025

Back to school 2025 books (by gender & age of child bought for), 2024 & 2023 books penetration

Top 10 retailers shopped at for books 2024 & 2025, & change on 2024

What's driving retailer selection (books), 2025 & change on 2024

Consumers using each channel for purchasing books, 2024 & 2025

Consumers using each store type for purchasing books, 2024 & 2025

Consumers using each device for purchasing books, 2024 & 2025

Fulfilment options for books purchases made online, 2024 & 2025

Back to school 2025 books for lessons penetration (by gender & age of child bought for), 2024 & 2023 books for lessons penetration

Back to school 2025 revision guides penetration (by gender & age of child bought for), 2024 & 2023 revision guides penetration

Planned/impulse purchases (books), 2025

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