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Retail Occasions Series: UK Back to School 2025

Publisher GlobalData
Published Sep 25, 2025
Length 114 Pages
SKU # GBDT20635290

Description

Retail Occasions Series: UK Back to School 2025

Summary

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
  • 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.

Table of Contents

114 Pages
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​
List of Tables
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
List of 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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