Table of Contents
Introduction
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- Definition
- Abbreviations
Executive Summary
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- The market
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- Figure 1: Forecast sales of childrenswear, at current prices, 2006-16
- Market factors
- Boom in 5-9s
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- Figure 2: Growth rate of the UK child population, by age group, 2006-11 and 2011-16
- Shift towards smaller and wealthier families
- Rise in lone-parent households
- Children growing up younger
- Childhood obesity is prevalent
- The consumer – children aged 10-14
- Most children choose clothing with their parents
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- Figure 3: Ways in which children’s clothes are bought, by gender and age group, October 2011
- Comfort is the top factor, but fashion prevails for girls
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- Figure 4: Most important factors when choosing what clothes to wear, by gender, October 2011
- Primark and New Look battle it out to be the top children’s fashion retailer
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- Figure 5: Retailers where children buy clothes for themselves, by gender, October 2011
- Internet shopping for clothes is widespread among children
- Kids prefer their parents to foot the bill
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- Figure 6: Attitudes towards clothing, by gender and age group, October 2011
- Certain fashion styles are off limits for four in ten girls
- The consumer – parents
- Women are the core purchasers
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- Figure 7: Children’s clothing or babywear bought in the last 12 months, by demographics, November 2011
- Supermarkets dictate the market
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- Figure 8: Outlets from where children’s clothing or babywear were bought in the last 12 months, November 2011
- Primark leads the value giants
- M&S and Debenhams attract an upmarket crowd
- Next and fashion retailers suffer
- What parents look for in children’s clothing
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- Figure 9: What people look for when buying childrenswear, by gender, November 2011
- Women are the biggest bargain hunters
- Limited influence of celebrities among parents
- Range and price are the most important factors
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- Figure 10: Attitudes towards shopping for children’s/baby clothes, November 2011
- Parents have the ultimate say
- Parents put their children’s needs before themselves
- Strong demand for value schoolwear
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- Figure 11: Attitudes towards schoolwear, November 2011
- Parents are in favour of uniform
- Schoolwear sales are highly seasonal
- Opportunities for retailers to expand their range of sizes
- What we think
Issues in the Market
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- How much influence do supermarkets have in the childrenswear market?
- Who has the greatest say in what clothes are bought for children?
- What influence does the internet have within the childrenswear sector?
- How does what parents look for in clothing differ to what children look for?
- Has children’s clothing become too grown-up?
Future Opportunities
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- Trend: Rise of the Screenager
- Trend: Experience is All
Internal Market Environment
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- Key points
- Desire to look good
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- Figure 12: Children who think that being fashionable and wearing trendy clothes is important, by age and gender, July 2011
- The value of pocket money
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- Figure 13: Weekly pocket money or earnings, by age and gender, July 2011
- Today’s children are digital natives
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- Figure 14: Ways in which children have accessed the internet in the last 12 months, by age and gender, July 2011
- What influences children in terms of clothing?
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- Figure 15: Top seven sources of information about new clothes, July 2011
- ‘Pester power’ drives sales
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- Figure 16: Degrees of influence over parents, July 2011
- Childhood obesity is prevalent in the UK
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- Figure 17: Proportion of children in England aged 2-15 who are overweight or obese, by gender, 1995-2009
- Figure 18: Children’s overweight and obesity prevalence, 2004-09
Broader Market Environment
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- Key points
- Age structure and growth projections
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- Figure 19: Growth rate of the UK child population, by age group, 2006-11 and 2011-16
- Annual birth rates have jumped since 2006
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- Figure 20: Total number of births in the UK, 2006-16
- Women delaying motherhood
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- Figure 21: Unstandardised mean age of mothers at live birth, years of age, England and Wales, 1977-2010
- Rise in single parents
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- Figure 22: Trends in marital status, by presence of own children, 2001-11
- ABs to boost market
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- Figure 23: Forecast growth of the UK population, by socio-economic group, 2006-11 and 2011-16
- Turbulence in the eurozone but UK GDP growth stronger than expected
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- Figure 24: Trends in GDP quarterly percentage change, Q1 2004-Q2 2011
- Consumer confidence drops by 2 points in December 2011
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- Figure 25: Trends in consumer confidence, January 2008-December 2011
- The end of price deflation
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- Figure 26: Inflation in clothing and footwear, January 2006-November 2011
Strengths and Weaknesses in the Market
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- Strengths
- Weaknesses
Who’s Innovating?
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- Key points
- Celeb lines
- Designers go miniature
- Designer hand-me-downs
- New stores and brands
- School uniform
- Tesco followed parental guidance introducing a new children’s bra
Competitive Context
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- Key points
- Womenswear performs well
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- Figure 27: Performance of childrenswear sales compared to women’s and men’s outerwear, 2006-11
Market Size and Forecast
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- Key points
- Childrenswear sees modest growth
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- Figure 28: UK retail value sales of childrenswear, at current and constant prices, 2006-16
- Infantswear outperforms girls and boyswear
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- Figure 29: UK retail sales of childrenswear, by sector, 2006-11
- The future
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- Figure 30: Best and worst case forecast sales of childrenswear, at current prices, 2006-16
- Factors used in the forecast
Market Share
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- Key points
- Supermarkets and value retailers continue to steal share
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- Figure 31: UK retail value sales of childrenswear, % share, by outlet type, 2007-11
Companies and Products
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- Marks & Spencer
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- Figure 32: Key financials for Marks & Spencer Group plc, 2010-11
- Debenhams
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- Figure 33: Key financials for Debenhams Plc, 2010-11
- New Look
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- Figure 34: Key financials for New Look Group Plc, 2010-11
- babyGap and GapKids
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- Figure 35: Key financials for Gap Inc, 2010-11
- H&M
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- Figure 36: Key financials for H&M (Hennes & Mauritz), 2009-10
- Mothercare
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- Figure 37: Key financials for Mothercare Plc, 2010-11
- Next Group
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- Figure 38: Key financials for Next Group, 2010-11
- Tesco
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- Figure 39: Key financials for Tesco Plc, 2010-11
- Primark
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- Figure 40: Key Financials for Primark Stores Limited, 2009-10
- Matalan
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- Figure 41: Key financials for Matalan Ltd, 2010-11
- Bhs
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- Figure 42: Key financials for Bhs Limited UK, 2009-10
- Asda
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- Figure 43: Key financials for Asda Stores Ltd, 2009-10
- Sainsbury’s
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- Figure 44: Key financials for J Sainsbury Plc, 2010-11
Brand Communication and Promotion
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- Key points
- Resurgence in adspend in 2010 and 2011
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- Figure 45: Main monitored advertising spend on childrenswear, 2007-11
- Figure 46: Main monitored advertising expenditure on childrenswear vs. total clothing advertising, 2006-11
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- Figure 47: Main monitored media advertising expenditure on childrenswear, by top 15 advertisers, 2010
- M&S takes leadership of advertising
- Supermarkets are big spenders
- Matalan returns to advertising
- H&M cuts adspend
- Burberry invests heavily
- Press advertising dominates
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- Figure 48: Main monitored media advertising expenditure on childrenswear, % share, by media type, 2006-11
The Consumer – How Children Get New Clothes
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- Key points
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- Figure 49: Ways in which children get new clothes, by gender and age group, October 2011
- 10-12 girls choose clothing with their parents
- Boys aged 10 rely on their parents
- Young female teens are independent shoppers
The Consumer – Where Children buy Clothes for Themselves
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- Key points
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- Figure 50: Retailers where children buy clothes for themselves, by gender, October 2011
- Primark is the top young fashion store
- New Look attracts teenage girls
- Sports shops are most popular among boys
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- Figure 51: Retailers where children buy clothes for themselves, by age group, October 2011
- Over a quarter shop online
- Supermarkets are visited by 10-12s shopping with their parents
The Consumer – What Children Look For When Choosing Clothing
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- Key points
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- Figure 52: Most important factors when choosing what clothes to wear, by gender, October 2011
- Two thirds of children look for comfort
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- Figure 53: Most important factors when choosing what clothes to wear, by gender, October 2011
- Fashion becomes the most important factor for girls
- Boys want to look cool
- Boys like to be sporty
- Older girls want to look more grown-up
- 10-12s want to dress like their friends
- The influence of celebrity culture is minimal
The Consumer – Children’s Attitudes Towards Clothing
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- Key points
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- Figure 54: Attitudes towards clothing, by gender and age group, October 2011
- Kids prefer for their parents to pay
- Girls are happiest with gifts of clothing
- Teen girls like to shop socially and buy their own clothes
- Fashion restrictions for four in ten girls
The Consumer – Who Buys Childrenswear?
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- Key points
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- Figure 55: Children’s clothing or babywear bought in the last 12 months, by gender, November 2011
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- Figure 56: Children’s clothing or babywear bought in the last 12 months, by demographics, November 2011
- Women drive sales of childrenswear
- Parents with young children are most likely to buy
- Resurgence in purchasing
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- Figure 57: Children’s clothing or babywear bought in the last 12 months, 2009-11
The Consumer – Where Adults Buy Childrenswear
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- Key points
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- Figure 58: Outlets where children’s clothing or babywear have been bought in the last 12 months, November 2011
- Asda and Tesco lead the way
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- Figure 59: Consumers who have bought children’s clothing or babywear from Asda and Tesco in the last 12 months, by demographics, November 2011
- Primark leads the value retailers
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- Figure 60: Consumers who have bought children’s clothing or babywear from Primark and Matalan in the last 12 months, by demographics, November 2011
- M&S and Debenhams draw an upmarket crowd
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- Figure 61: Consumers who have bought children’s clothing or babywear from M&S and Debenhams in the last 12 months, by demographics, November 2011
- Men with older kids head to sport shops
- Mothercare attracts 25-34s with children under four
- New Look is favoured by parents with older children
- Internet/mail order shoppers want long-lasting quality
- Independent and premium retailers are niche
- Shopping trends
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- Figure 62: Outlets from where children’s clothing or babywear were bought in the last 12 months, 2009, 2010 and 2011
The Consumer – What Childrenswear Buyers Look For
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- Key points
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- Figure 63: What people look for when buying childrenswear, by gender, November 2011
- Comfort is all-important
- Over-55 women are most concerned about age suitability
- AB males have the greatest affinity for quality
- Under-25s want fashionable kidswear
- Women are the biggest bargain hunters
- Three in ten look for practical garments
- Young men want kids to look cool
- Parents with young children look for character-themed clothing
- Limited influence of celebrities among parents
The Consumer – Attitudes Towards Shopping for Childrenswear
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- Key points
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- Figure 64: Attitudes towards shopping for children’s/baby clothes, November 2011
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- Figure 65: Consumers who agree or strongly agree with statements on shopping for children’s/baby clothes, by gender, November 2011
- Choice vs. price
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- Figure 66: Consumers who like to shop where there is a wide choice of product and consumers who think price is the most important factor, by demographics, November 2011
- Supermarkets come top in the convenience stakes
- Parents choose where they shop
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- Figure 67: Consumers who let their child choose which shops to buy clothes from and consumers who choose where they shop for their child’s clothes
- Women enjoy shopping for childrenswear
- Parents cut back on themselves, but not their children
- Under-35 males are most influenced by advertising
- Few depend on hand-me-downs
The Consumer – Attitudes Towards Schoolwear
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- Key points
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- Figure 68: Attitudes towards schoolwear, November 2011
- Primary school mums want value
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- Figure 69: Attitudes towards schoolwear, by demographics, November 2011
- Parents approve of school uniforms
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- Figure 70: Attitudes towards schoolwear, by demographics, November 2011
- Demand for all-year-round uniform
- ABs look for longer-lasting quality
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- Figure 71: Attitudes towards schoolwear, by demographics, November 2011
- Uniform policies becoming more rigid
- Sizes need review
Appendix – The Consumer – How Children Get New Clothes
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- Figure 72: Ways in which children get new clothes, by demographics, October 2011
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- Figure 73: Ways in which children get new clothes, by most popular retailers where children buy clothes for themselves, October 2011
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- Figure 74: Ways in which children get new clothes, by next most popular retailers where children buy clothes for themselves, October 2011
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- Figure 75: Ways in which children get new clothes, by other retailers where children buy clothes for themselves, October 2011
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- Figure 76: Ways in which children get new clothes, by most important factors when choosing what clothes to wear, October 2011
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Appendix – The Consumer – Where Children Buy Clothes for Themselves
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- Figure 77: Most popular retailers where children buy clothes for themselves, by demographics, October 2011
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- Figure 78: Next most popular retailers where children buy clothes for themselves, by demographics, October 2011
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- Figure 79: Most important factors when choosing what clothes to wear, by most popular retailers where children buy clothes for themselves, October 2011
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- Figure 80: Most important factors when choosing what clothes to wear, by next most popular retailers where children buy clothes for themselves, October 2011
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- Figure 81: Most important factors when choosing what clothes to wear, by other retailers where children buy clothes for themselves, October 2011
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Appendix – The Consumer – What Children Look for When Choosing Clothing
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- Figure 82: Most important factors when choosing what clothes to wear, by demographics, October 2011
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- Figure 83: Retailers where children buy clothes for themselves, by most important factors when choosing what clothes to wear, October 2011
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Appendix – The Consumer – Children’s Attitudes Towards Clothing
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- Figure 84: Attitudes towards clothing, by demographics, October 2011
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- Figure 85: Attitudes towards clothing, by most popular retailers where children buy clothes for themselves, October 2011
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- Figure 86: Attitudes towards clothing, by next most popular retailers where children buy clothes for themselves, October 2011
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- Figure 87: Attitudes towards clothing by other retailers where children buy clothes for themselves, October 2011
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Appendix – The Consumer – Who Buys Childrenswear?
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- Figure 88: Outlets from where children’s clothing or babywear bought in the last 12 months, by demographics, November 2011
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Appendix – The Consumer – Where Adults Buy Childrenswear
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- Figure 89: Most popular outlets from where children’s clothing or babywear bought in the last 12 months, by demographics, November 2011
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- Figure 90: Next most popular outlets from where children’s clothing or babywear bought in the last 12 months, by demographics, November 2011
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- Figure 91: Other outlets from where children’s clothing or babywear bought in the last 12 months, by demographics, November 2011
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- Figure 92: Least popular outlets from where children’s clothing or babywear bought in the last 12 months, by demographics, November 2011
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- Figure 93: Outlets from where children’s clothing or babywear bought in the last 12 months, by most popular features people look for when buying childrenswear, November 2011
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- Figure 94: Outlets from where children’s clothing or babywear bought in the last 12 months, by next most popular features people look for when buying childrenswear, November 2011
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- Figure 95: Attitudes towards shopping for children’s/baby clothes, by most popular outlets from where children’s clothing or babywear bought in the last 12 months, November 2011
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- Figure 96: Attitudes towards shopping for children’s/baby clothes, by next most popular outlets from where children’s clothing or babywear bought in the last 12 months, November 2011
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- Figure 97: Attitudes towards shopping for children’s/baby clothes, by other outlets from where children’s clothing or babywear bought in the last 12 months, November 2011
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- Figure 98: Attitudes towards shopping for children’s/baby clothes, by least popular outlets from where children’s clothing or babywear bought in the last 12 months, November 2011
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Appendix – The Consumer – What Childrenswear Buyers Look For
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- Figure 99: Most popular features people look for when buying childrenswear, by demographics, November 2011
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- Figure 100: Next most popular features people look for when buying childrenswear, by demographics, November 2011
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- Figure 101: Features people look for when buying childrenswear, by most popular outlets from where children’s clothing or babywear bought in the last 12 months, November 2011
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- Figure 102: Features people look for when buying childrenswear, by next most popular outlets from where children’s clothing or babywear bought in the last 12 months, November 2011
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- Figure 103: Features people look for when buying childrenswear, by other outlets from where children’s clothing or babywear bought in the last 12 months, November 2011
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- Figure 104: Features people look for when buying childrenswear, by least popular outlets from where children’s clothing or babywear bought in the last 12 months, November 2011
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Appendix – The Consumer – Attitudes Towards Shopping for Childrenswear
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- Figure 105: Agreement with the statements ‘Price is the most important factor when I shop for children’s clothes’ and ‘Most children’s clothing is overpriced’, by demographics, November 2011
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- Figure 106: Agreement with the statements ‘I like to shop where there is a wide choice of products/brands’ and ‘I let my child choose which shops to buy clothes from’, by demographics, November 2011
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- Figure 107: Agreement with the statements ‘I choose where we shop for my child’s clothes’ and ‘Buying children’s clothing at the supermarket is convenient’, by demographics, November 2011
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- Figure 108: Agreement with the statements ‘I haven’t cut back on buying clothes for my children, but have for myself’ and ‘Buying children’s clothes from catalogues or online is more convenient’, by demographics, November 2011
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- Figure 109: Agreement with the statements ‘Adverts for children’s ranges encourage me to visit a particular store’ and ‘I don’t buy new clothes for my child very often as I mostly rely on hand-me-downs’, by demographics, November 2011
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- Figure 110: Agreement with the statements ‘I enjoy shopping for children’s clothes’ and ‘My child prefers to go shopping with friends and to buy his/her own clothes’, by demographics, November 2011
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Appendix – The Consumer – Attitudes Towards Schoolwear
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- Figure 111: Most popular attitudes towards schoolwear, by demographics, November 2011
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- Figure 112: Next most popular attitudes towards schoolwear, by demographics, November 2011
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- Figure 113: Other attitudes towards schoolwear, by demographics, November 2011
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