UK parents face huge bill for kids at the end of August – see the full list

A new report has found parents are expected to pay out an average of £845 per child for the back-to-school shopping list

Parents are set to fork out an average of £845 per child at the end of August, a new report has revealed. More than half of parents will have to buy a new school bag for their child this year, a third will be nagged into purchasing new trainers, and 28 per cent of children will anticipate going on a pricey school trip at the start of the new school year.

Nearly a quarter of parents have been told their child needs a new laptop for school. The same proportion state their kids are asking for a new iPhone or smartphone for the start of the school term, according to the report from refurbished marketplace Back Market.

New haircuts, and merchandise such as Stanley Cups, are demanded by one in 10 children, along with skin care trends. A staggering 81 per cent of parents admit they will struggle to afford everything their child needs for the back-to-school period, and a quarter say the costs are spiralling out of control.

More than seven in 10 parents also express concern about the environmental impact of purchasing new tech for their children, particularly regarding what happens to the old tech when it’s replaced, reports Plymouth Live.

Luke Forshaw, head of brand and marketing at Back Market said: “The data shows just how much money parents are expected to fork out for their children’s back-to-school items – with tech emerging as the biggest drain on parents’ pockets. We understand that kids may be under pressure to go back to school with the iPhones, laptops, and tablets, but there are ways to keep these costs down, receive quality devices, while also looking after the planet.”

“That’s why refurbished tech is the perfect solution: it offers parents affordable options and gives kids high-quality devices they can be proud of.”

Back Market is collaborating with parent influencer and mum of five, Laura Doves, also known as @5littledoves. Laura said: “Back-to-school season can be one of the most financially stressful times for parents.

“After the expense of summer with holidays, days out, and childcare; it can certainly feel overwhelming to then face the cost of essential school items like phones and laptops. Before working with Back Market, I’d never really considered refurbished tech as an option, but now it’s a smart, affordable way to get all the devices we need for September- without the heavy financial burden or the environmental impact”.

Back to school ‘must haves’ for children in the UK

1. New school bag – 53 per cent of parents will fork out for this
2. New uniform items – 45 per cent
3. New PE kit – 42 per cent
4. New hoodies/jumpers – 35 per cent
5. New lunchbox – 35 per cent
6. New branded trainers – 32 per cent
7. An upcoming school trip – 28 per cent
8. A new laptop – 23 per cent
9. New iPhone or smartphone – 23 per cent
10. A new tablet/iPad – 20 per cent
11. New haircut – 18 per cent
12. New headphones/airpods – 14 per cent
13. Skincare, haircare and cosmetics – 14 per cent
14. TikTok-famous food and drink items (bubble tea, Prime, Starbucks, etc) – nine per cent
15. New makeup – eight per cent