The cost of school uniforms is the bane of most Kiwi parents' start to the new year, and some overseas comparisons show there's no real justification to the crazy prices.
One place where it is noticeably cheaper to deck your kids out in uniforms is the UK.
Seven Sharp Christchurch reporter Gill Higgins is a UK expat, and provides a little insight to how it works in her homeland.
Over in England a pair of secondary school trousers costs about the same as three flat whites
"A pair school trousers six pounds just ridiculous so cheap," Higgins says.
"Here in UK lot schools let you buy generic shirts pants from anywhere including the supermarket, a pack of two plain white shirts costs seven pounds fifty, a five pack of socks is four pounds fifty, such a good deal.
"Jersey, six pounds. Then get logo printed on for few extra pounds."
With a logo on the jumper the total for these four basics is "27 quid", which is $52 (NZD).
Whereas here in New Zealand school shirts are regularly $50, and socks are three for $20.
However, one uniform shop's owner says high prices means high quality.
He puts the high cost down to every school wanting their own thing.
"Really no crossover garments each uniform different to each other so there's not the economy of scale," he says.
But enter the big red shed, with some schools switching to The Warehouse for mass produced stock to lower costs.
It may lower quality, but it seems everybody wants a bargain.
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