Why are clothes so pricey in the UK outside Primark etc?

[WillPenn]

I'm in the USA on a work trip at the mo and hit the "mall" tonight where I bought some Rockport ballet flats, Gap trousers, Gap belt, Anthropologie dress and earrings for the grand total of $150 or about £90. Obviously it was all in the sale - but why don't they have sales like this in the UK? I'm fed up of paying through the nose for stuff foreigners can get at a snip of the price. And last week I also got a Gap cardigan for £4!!!!!

By foreigners, you mean Americans.

I have just moved back to NZ and clothes here are sooo expensive, compared with the UK. At least, they are if you don't want to shop in Glassons all the time...

Would give my right arm to have the varied-price shopping opportunities of the UK!

You should live in Australia Willpenn. I have just converted half my dd's class into buying polo tops from Next.

When my FIL visited us in the UK from the US he said he couldn't believe the prices there. When he came here he almost had a heart attack.

Australia is really expensive for clothes. I had stuff shipped over from M&S usually.

Clothes in the UK are really cheap IMO. The price of clothes has fallen dramatically over the last few decades as high street retailers have been forced to compete with the likes of Primark, H&M, supermarket clothes, etc. I haven't been to the US for quite a while but I've noticed in France and Spain that clothes just aren't as cheap as they used to be compared to the UK and often I'm better off buying the same thing at home as it's more expensive overseas.

I live in Singapore and we can get a lot of UK brands here (Topshop, M&S, Monsoon, Dorothy Perkins) and others such as Esprit, Gap, Zara, Mango etc. Typically the prices are 70 to 100% more expensive than the UK for the same products. No idea why as VAT here is 7%.... I normally go back to the UK once a year to stock up for me and the kids (we literally bring empty suitcases) or order online from places like Boden who deduct UK VAT from adult clothes, but then whack on a shipping cost so you need to order a lot!

Btw, if you're above a size 6, Asian brands aren't really an option...

Clothes are a lot more expensive here in Ireland too. We have all the UK stores (Next, M&S, Monsoon etc) and most have the sterling and euro price on them. Even if you factor in the currency difference we are paying a lot more.

I presume it is down to logisitics and scale here though.

The Gap sale here is cheap as chips. I got two tops yesterday for the grand total of £10.98. You're just not looking.

Ok Ok...point made! I shall thank my lucky stars I don't live in Aus/NZ or Ireland and not feel so ripped off in the UK...Especially pleased I'm not in Singapore as I'm certainly not a size 6!