School Uniform Supply Monopolies

TechnoBadger

Whilst I accept that businesses coming into school to sell, for example a book club, should make a donation to the school fund I cannot see the justification for schools to take money from suppliers of their effectively compulsory uniform. It'd be so much better if it were sold cheaper. Does anyone disagree?

pigpen

I don't care whether the school benefit or not.. the stuff should simply be much much better quality and lower cost.

TechnoBadger

But if it were better quality pigpen it'd last longer and maybe you wouldn't need to keep popping back to the retailer for more

pigpen - what is / are the brand names of the poor quality stuff if you don't mind me asking?

pigpen

I also have 9 children and want stuff to last because if it doesn't i will take it back and demand a replacement or a refund..

Most families have more than 1 child and none want to buy a new set of uniform every 6 months .. so we, as parents want better quality and cheaper than it is currently.

I don't mind replacing poloshirts that cost £1 each, however at £12 each.. other than I won't buy them.. I would mind replacing them

ifonlyitwaseasier

i hope you have permission from MSE towers to post on here...

danieltomlinson wrote: »

Hi,

Hope you don't mind, I just wanted to respond to the message from looby75. I am the Marketing Manager at Trutex and do understand your position with the uniform. Many parents and teachers however are opting for more detailed school uniform as it brings a number of benefits and often looks really smart.

I would also like to assure you that the school will not be getting a 20% kickback for their school uniform. It will be considerably less than that and very likely less than the margin a local retailer would make, plus it goes back in to the school

At Trutex we really work hard to keep the price of school uniform down and our prices are always the same no matter if we are the sole supplier or one of many. We go to great lengths to ensure our garments are of a high quality and are made in factories that are audited on a regular basis to make sure the workers are working in good conditions for fair wages. This often means that are garments are a little more expensive, but they are made to last and therefore great value

TechnoBadger

Aaahhh.... I was so looking forward to his thoughts on restrictive practices in the schoolwear industry. I guess if a reply to my earlier question about this was going to appear it would have by now. Never mind, I'll just have to assume that there are very restrictive practices!

Interesting to see Daniel admitting to using 'kickbacks':

kickback noun 1 part of a sum of money received that is paid to someone else for help or favours already received or to come, especially if this is illegally given.

Whilst maybe not illegal here (anyone know if it would be?), parents are not usually aware of this practice going on.

looby75

TechnoBadger wrote: »

Aaahhh.... I was so looking forward to his thoughts on restrictive practices in the schoolwear industry. I guess if a reply to my earlier question about this was going to appear it would have by now. Never mind, I'll just have to assume that there are very restrictive practices!

Interesting to see Daniel admitting to using 'kickbacks':

kickback noun 1 part of a sum of money received that is paid to someone else for help or favours already received or to come, especially if this is illegally given.

Whilst maybe not illegal here (anyone know if it would be?), parents are not usually aware of this practice going on.

in my daughters schools case they used the kickback as a selling point and justification of why they had decided to use Trutex, at first parents thought it was a good idea....until they found out the prices and quality of the uniform they were being forced to buy.

When myself and a couple of other parents found someone to embroider plain blouses ourselves so we didn't have to use trutex the school went mad and tried to stop us until we got the council involved....the reason they weren't happy, nothing to do with the fact the white blouses we were using were slightly different (but much better fit for our daughters body shapes) but because they were missing out on the kick back.

TechnoBadger

looby75 wrote: »

When myself and a couple of other parents found someone to embroider plain blouses ourselves so we didn't have to use trutex the school went mad and tried to stop us until we got the council involved....the reason they weren't happy, nothing to do with the fact the white blouses we were using were slightly different (but much better fit for our daughters body shapes) but because they were missing out on the kick back.

This stinks to high heaven be honest. Yours is far from the only school happy to take money so that suppliers can have a monopoly. It's very, very widespread and getting worse now as schools protect their 'arrangement' by agreeing to 'more detailed school uniform' that will stop other suppliers - be they Tesco, an internet seller or a group of parents like yourselves - from entering the market and driving prices down & quality up.

looby75

TechnoBadger wrote: »

This stinks to high heaven be honest. Yours is far from the only school happy to take money so that suppliers can have a monopoly. It's very, very widespread and getting worse now as schools protect their 'arrangement' by agreeing to 'more detailed school uniform' that will stop other suppliers - be they Tesco, an internet seller or a group of parents like yourselves - from entering the market and driving prices down & quality up.

the schools seem to be under the impression that they CAN stop parents from finding alternative suppliers.

Apart from the cost and quality the other reason some of us parents got together is because the style of the blouse didn't suit our daughters. It was made from a very stretchy cotton material that was very close fitting. My daughter was a very early developer and her bust size meant that to have a shirt that fit her properly everywhere else it would constantly spring open at the bust. It was very embarrassing for her and the school even sent a letter home saying it wasn't suitable. To get a blouse that fit her bust the sleeves were full length (supposed to be 3/4) , the shoulders half way down her arm and so long it was almost as long as her school skirt.

When the school kicked up a fuss about us getting our own blouses embroidered I and the other parents contacted the council to complain that our children were being discriminated against because they weren't a standard body shape. It was only then that we were informed that we had the right to shop for uniform WHEREVER we liked. As long as it fit the uniform description that was as far as they could dictate.

I think more parents need to know this and if their children's school insist they cant they need to get in touch with the council and get them to step in as we did.

TechnoBadger

looby75 wrote: »

...we were informed that we had the right to shop for uniform WHEREVER we liked. As long as it fit the uniform description that was as far as they could dictate.

I think more parents need to know this and if their children's school insist they cant they need to get in touch with the council and get them to step in as we did.

But how are they informed? The schools aren't going to tell them! I think this is a big enough scandal for Martin to start investigating (please) - or indeed would 'Tonight' or 'Panorama' be interested?

Tot it all up - it would appear that parents are paying very many millions of pounds extra for uniform just so schools can have 'kickbacks'. Disgraceful.