ALONGSIDE cartons of milk and boxes of eggs, supermarket trolleys are being filled with cheap children's clothes by parents keen to save the pennies.
Bulk-buying "disposable" outfits – such as T-shirts, jeans and school uniforms from as little as £12 – has been revealed as a massive draw for mums and dads looking for a bargain.
A record £5.6 billion was spent on children's clothes last year de
spite the falling birthrate and credit crunch.
And, according to a survey by Mintel, the majority of cash – 86 per cent – was handed over at tills in large retailers such as supermarkets and discount stores like Primark.
The survey revealed that parents were tempted to buy more clothing because of the low prices and admitted to impulse buying while doing the weekly grocery shop.
At the cavernous Asda superstore in Edinburgh yesterday, the aisles were packed with parents picking up fashion bargains for the family.
Opportunistic shoppers Julie Thomson and Elsa Falconer were hunting for clothing which they intended to give as a present.
Ms Thomson said: "We were in the store doing some shopping and getting some groceries, so we thought we'd look for an outfit for our friend's baby. The stuff sold here is pretty durable and it also tends to be at a reasonable price."
With Asda's George clothing range, customers can kit their child out with an entire school uniform – trousers, shirt and jumper – for as little as £12.
Chris Hyde, George manager in Edinburgh's Asda, said: "Our school section does particularly well. At the end of the day, customers want value, especially for school wear."
The bargain deals mean the days of wearing hand-me-downs from older siblings are on the wane.
Sales assistant Moira Ranciman said some customers came in to buy clothes every week.
However, concerns have been raised over the ethical considerations of cheap clothing. Disposable polyester means items which take centuries to rot are choking landfill sites.
There are also fears that cheap-clothing manufacturers in third-world countries are effectively sweat shops for underpaid, overworked staff.
Andrew Turnbull, a retail expert and senior lecturer at the Robert Gordon University, said: "On the ethical side, these stores are all going to be extremely careful about the sources of their clothing. It doesn't matter how much of a quick buck they make in the short term, they will be very wary of the risks of a media storm.
"It might happen without their knowledge because a contractor has sub-contracted. But they wouldn't want the bad publicity."
He said Asda had set the benchmark in cheap clothing and competitors had been forced to follow suit. Mr Turnbull added: "It is supply and demand and price is the easiest way to compete. We can't blame shoppers because their eyes light up at the prospect of saving."
Asda sources clothes from all around the world including Turkey, Mauritius, Egypt, Bangladesh and China. A spokeswoman said prices were kept low by buying material by the mile rather than by the yard and maintaining low margins.
Shopper Elaine Johnston agreed: "The stuff here is just as good as what they sell in more expensive shops and it's much easier on the pocket."
Things don't last long no matter how much you payCHRISTINE Faichnie, from Glasgow, has two daughters, Rachel, nine, and Fiona, six.
She said: "The clothes don't last, regardless of what you pay for them, so what is the point of spending £20 on a pair of trousers when you can buy two pairs for £6.50?
"You have to constantly buy your children clothes because they grow out of them or wear them out."
Environmental and social concerns do cross her mind, but the family budget must come first.
Mrs Faichnie said: "I do think a bit more if I am buying clothes for myself, because at least I will get my money's worth.
"But if your weekly shopping bill is going up by £30 a week, then it can't be your biggest concern."
The full article contains 683 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
