CCPC calls for schools to introduce generic uniforms to reduce costs

Parents report frustration with school uniform policies that require purchasing from a single expensive supplier. The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has written to schools to remind them that exclusive uniform arrangements can create unnecessary financial pressure and reduce competition. The commission previously advised schools to use generic uniform items and ensure competitive processes for appointing any exclusive suppliers for uniforms and tech devices. Parents describe cases where schools state uniforms must be bought from an only official supplier without evidence of a legitimate public tender. The commission calls for generic uniform items, fewer bespoke pieces, and options such as iron-on or stitch-on crests to allow families to shop around.

"Parents have voiced their frustrations over school policies to buy expensive branded uniforms. The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has written to schools to remind them that their school uniform arrangements could put unnecessary financial stress on families and harm competition. Last year the statutory body advised schools to use generic uniform items and ensure a competitive process underpins the appointment of any exclusive suppliers for school uniforms and tech devices."

"My daughter is starting her first year in  the coming new school year. "I'm researching for the necessary school uniform and what I can see is their expected uniform is supplied by only one provider, is extremely expensive, could be bought for much cheaper elsewhere. However, they do state explicitly on their website the uniform must be bought from their only official supplier!""

"Our school has forced parents into an uncompetitive sole source supply arrangement without running any tender process to supply more expensive uniforms. "On May 19th a discussion on how to evolve the school uniform took place. On June 19th a trader was announced as the sole supplier for the academic year 2025/26 onward and no record is available to show a legitimate public tender took place.""

"The CCPC is calling for schools to introduce generic uniform items, reducing bespoke pieces or allowing iron-on or stitch-on crests. Others who got in touch said they were frustrated that their children's schools were moving away from generic school uniforms with iron-on crests or non-crested uniforms to more expensive crested uniforms. Grainne Griffin, Director of Communications, Consumer Information and Financial Education said:"Too many families are forced to pay over the odds for branded uniforms. We want consumers to be able to shop around and get better v"

Read at Irish Independent