The study also suggests the event sparks a competitive streak in some parents, with over a fifth (22%) feeling the pressure to impress, as per the Opinium survey of 2,000 UK residents conducted in February
Parents are forking out nearly £20 per child on average for World Book Day costumes this year, according to a survey.
The event, set for Thursday March 6 2025, aims to instil a lifelong love of reading in children by celebrating their favourite books, authors and illustrators. Research commissioned by cashback service Rakuten reveals that parents estimate they will spend an average of £19 per child this World Book Day – a £2 increase from last year’s average spend of £17 per child.
The study also suggests the event sparks a competitive streak in some parents, with over a fifth (22%) feeling the pressure to impress, as per the Opinium survey of 2,000 UK residents conducted in February.
Around 11% of parents surveyed admitted to splashing out more than £50 per child on costumes. Parents could potentially cut costs by scouring supermarket aisles for costumes, hunting for discounts, vouchers and cashback, and “re-purposing” costumes for different events throughout the year such as parties, Christmas events and Halloween.
Other money-saving strategies could include passing down costumes from older siblings, swapping outgrown costumes with other families, crafting homemade costumes, and enquiring at schools about local exchange schemes. Setting a spending limit could also help families avoid exceeding their budget.