As the UK summer heats up, a big price freeze is intensifying in the annual back-to-school (BtS) season price battle.

John Lewis and Clarks have become the latest major retailers to join M&S and Asda in the BtS race for the playground pound as parents continue to be hit by cost-of-living constraints.

Department store giant John Lewis announced Wednesday its uniform prices have been frozen for the fourth year in a row with 71% of its school uniform prices having remained the same since 2021.

It said uniform prices start from £7 for cargo shorts and £8 for a three-pack of polo shirts now available in store and online.

Susan Kennedy, buying manager for Kidswear, said: “We know that getting ready for the new school year can be a daunting time for parents, which is why we go the extra mile to make back-to-school shopping a breeze.

“We’re dedicated to value and hand-me-down worthy quality ensuring our school uniform is built for busy days in both the classroom and playground. We’re proud to have frozen prices of our school uniform range for another year.”

Also this week, footwear giant Clarks unveiled its BtS line-up with 70% of its new product featuring “the lowest prices in a decade”, starting from just £25.

Underpinning the Clarks 2025 BtS campaign slogan, ‘Quality You Expect, Prices You Didn’t’, the new collection reflects Clarks’ “commitment to making high-quality school shoes more accessible for families across the UK”.

This change follows a consumer survey conducted in December which showed 24% of respondents said they didn’t purchase Clarks’ school shoes last year “due to a perception that the shoes were too expensive”.

So Clarks has responded “not just in price point, but in style, choice, and relevance”, with the updated collection featuring “on-trend silhouettes, colourful and triple-black trainers, accessories, and even school uniforms—offering more variety and value than ever before”.

Dawn Porto, Clarks’ Global head of Product, added: “We’ve listened carefully to our customers—they asked for affordable pricing, trend-led designs, and the same trusted quality. We’ve delivered on every point.”

John Lewis and Clarks join early-birds M&S and Asda who last month announced BtS price freezes or cuts.

M&S said it has held prices on its “market-leading school uniform” since 2021 while continuing to offer an extended 100-day returns period on school uniforms.

At the start of this year M&S also reduced the price on up to 100 products from its kids’ everyday essentials range by up to 20%. 

Its prices range from £4.50 for a 2-pack of 100% responsibly sourced cotton unisex polo shirts (2-18 years). Its ‘everyday essentials’ Kidswear range offers “a first price, right price, with no tricksy pricing” promise.

George at Asda has also brought back its “highly anticipated early bird deal to make the return to school easier and more affordable”. Its early “exclusive offer” saw 20% off all school uniforms and ended 29 June, but we’re likely to see more price promotions as the new school term gets closer.