17 year old son spending on girlfriend

[elleing]

My DS is 17, 18 in April, he's been in a relationship either a girl of the same age since about spring last year. He works part time.
At Christmas DS spent £250+ on her, seemed like a lot but seemed to be reciprocated.
Now DS has just told be he had bought her a £100 tote bag (yes the canvas type that are flimsy) from Ralph Lauren as she'll love it and something else from Nike at £115.

He makes about about £100 a week so this isn't a small amount for him.

AIBU to be concerned? Spoil I have a conversation about not being materialistic?

She's a lovely lovely girl, he's been best friends with her twin brother since they were 11 so I know her very well, I'm not thinking this is coming from her asking but him just wanting to surprise her.
He's tried to justify it by saying she or her brother drive him to school most days (he hasn't past his test yet and it's an unreliable bus away otherwise) so this is his payment to her!

I wonder if he is her vulnerable son.

My boyfriends were like this at this age. But I also reciprocated.

I think if she's giving daily lifts then it's a bit more reasonable as surely he'd pay for bus fares etc alternatively?

As long as he is only spending within his wage, it's better spending it on someone he loves compared to drink, takeout/food out or coffees which seemed to be the other things money gets spent on at that age.

I think it's absolutely fine to raise it with him. But ultimately he might still want to continue to spend on her.

Op hasn't mentioned any vulnerabilities had she?

He's bought her nice stuff for Christmas, she's really liked it and he's discovered that he really likes the feeling of making her happy.

So now he's trying to replicate that by buying her more stuff.

I'd have a chat with him, but focus on the reciprocity of it. That because he's spending all this money on her, she's going to start feeling like she's indebted to him and that she needs to respond in kind. Explain that what's making her happy is that he's done something thoughtful for her, and that he can get that same reaction from her at a fraction of the cost. Tell him there's nothing wrong with big extravagant gifts, but they're best kept for birthdays and Christmas.

Yes, he's a child.

He's 17 ffs . He may be a minor but he isn't a child.