Have just received a letter from our head about DD not wearing one of their disgusting overpriced logo'd cardigans ( we've been holding out while she wears out her lovely M and S cardigan -he he good they are so long lived!) was trawling internet and found this article (sadly undated). Really hoping that some of you -Mumsnetters were quicker off the mark than me given the comments we have all made?
OFT to update school uniforms study
We will update our survey of the supply of uniforms in UK schools in early 2012. The survey will gather up-to-date information on how state schools source their uniforms. In particular, we will assess whether the findings from the 2006 survey are still valid. These findings and other information on the 2006 study are set out below
Specifically, the OFT wishes to assess the impact of sole supply agreements on prices for school uniforms. As noted below, we have worked with the Department for Education (DfE) previously to highlight the issue and to encourage school governors and other decision makers in state schools to avoid sole supply agreements as far as possible. We would like to encourage schools to remove remaining restrictions to the supply of their uniforms and to introduce competition into the supply process wherever possible. We feel that this message is particularly important at this time, where many parents are facing economic difficulties. We consider that permitting parents to source all items of uniform, even those carrying the school logo, from a wider range of outlets would result in a lower price for those items.
We would welcome the views of parents, schools and participants about the supply of school uniforms. If you wish to provide views, please address correspondence to:
School Uniforms Study
Office of Fair Trading
Floor 6C
Fleetbank House
2 - 6 Salisbury Square
London
EC47 8JX
or by email to: [email protected]