2023
9
UK Childrenswear Market Report 2023
2023-01-22T03:03:53+00:00
OX1154771
2195
159768
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Report
en_GB
“Childrenswear continues to be resilient to wider economic pressures, due to its essential nature and parents prioritising buying for their children over themselves. There are opportunities for brands to highlight…

UK Childrenswear Market Report 2023

£ 2,195 (Excl.Tax)

Description

The UK Childrenswear Market Report examines consumers purchasing priorities regarding children’s clothing, leading children’s clothing retailers, and the impact of rising inflation on the childrenswear market. This report covers the childrenswear market size, market forecast, market segmentation and trends in the children’s clothing market.

What is the childrenswear market size in the UK?

The childrenswear market experienced a year of recovery post-pandemic, partially driven by the return to school restriction-free, reaching a market value of £6.8 bn in 2022. Growth is expected to continue minimally, mirroring pre-pandemic rates, with Mintel estimating a market worth £7.3bn by 2027.

Childrenswear Market Landscape

The UK childrenswear market has returned to growth as stores reopen and children return to school restriction-free. Pent-up demand for holiday and occasionwear has helped drive sales within the childrenswear market.

Consumer confidence, however, is at an all-time low as the cost of living continues to squeeze consumer spending. Being a discretionary category, the children’s clothing market faces a unique set of challenges. Over a fifth of consumers will choose to buy from cheaper retailers for childrenswear, which is in line with the wider clothing industry. However, Mintel’s data indicates that parents are still prioritising buying childrenswear over clothes for themselves, a pattern due to continue as financial pressure affects households.

Trends and Children’s Clothing Market Statistics UK

When considering cost-saving options, mothers of children under 16 are more inclined to sell used items. Second-hand marketplace platforms have the opportunity to tailor to these financially conscious consumers, and such efforts will also help close the gap between intent and sustainable shopping behaviours in the childrenswear market.

Children’s clothing market statistics UK

  • 91% of consumers agree that it is important to pass on good quality childrenswear to others.
  • 61% of female adults shopped at supermarkets for childrenswear.
  • 37% of adults who purchased childrenswear state that they would buy clothing less frequently if they needed to save money.
  • 71% of adults who bought schoolwear agree that price is the most important factor.

Childrenswear Market Growth and Future Trends

The increased shopping from supermarkets and clothing retailers is making the childrenswear market increasingly fragmented, with independents losing share to the bigger players. Many clothing retailers are expanding their childrenswear ranges, and with consumers valuing price the most when it comes to children’s clothing, smaller brands risk being undercut.

Growth in the children’s clothing market remains upward but will take several years to revert back to pre-pandemic levels. Retailers must work to encourage childrenswear buyers online, especially when buying for younger age groups.

To discover more about the UK Childrenswear Market Report 2023, read our UK Clothing Retailing Market Report 2022, or take a look at our Childrenswear Market Research Reports.

Quickly Understand

  • The effect of the cost of living crisis on shopping behaviour in the childrenswear market.
  • The main buyers of childrenswear and what ages they purchase for.
  • How and where consumers have bought childrenswear in the last 12 months.
  • Priorities and behaviours when shopping for schoolwear and non-schoolwear.
  • Examines the childrenswear market size and share.

Covered in this Report

Products: All clothing for children aged 0-15 years, including schoolwear. Footwear is not included in this Report, for more information on this see Mintel’s UK Footwear Retailing Market Report.

Brands: Selfridges, M&S, Dotte, Stella McCartney, Laura Ashley, Mamas & Papas, Kit & Kin, Asda (George), Sainsbury’s (TU), Tesco (F&F), The Parently Group, Mango, Missguided, Whistles, H&M, Matalan, Next, Shein, Alsi, Calvin Klein, The Very Group, Newbie, Frugi, Lidl, Boden, Top Sox.

Expert Analysis from a Specialist in the Retail Sector

This report, written by Fiona McDonald, a leading analyst in the retail sector, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight current trends in the childrenswear market and add expert context to the numbers.

The childrenswear market continues to be resilient to wider economic pressures, due to its essential nature and parents prioritising buying for their children over themselves. There are opportunities for brands to highlight their sustainable practices, as well as room for the second-hand market to grow as interest in this area rises. The current economic climate is putting pressure on retailers to showcase easy-to-wear and long-lasting garments, proving quality as well as value to encourage spending within the market. The landscape of childrenswear market is shifting, with more space being given to boyswear, and a call for gender-neutral ranges across all age groups.”

Fiona McDonald

Retail Analyst

 

 

Table of Contents

  1. Overview

    • Key issues covered in this Report
    • Products covered in this Report
  2. Executive Summary

    • The five-year outlook for childrenswear
      • Figure 1: Category outlook, 2022-27
    • The market
    • Market size and forecast
    • Cautious spending as financial worries hit households
      • Figure 2: Market size for childrenswear, 2017-27
    • More space given to boyswear
      • Figure 3: Segmentation of UK childrenswear market, based on current prices, 2017-21
    • Birth rates in England and Wales begin to rise
      • Figure 4: Trends in the number of live births in England and Wales, 2000-21
    • Increase in the number of households with children
      • Figure 5: Total households with dependent children, 2012-21
    • The consumer
    • Children’s clothing the priority
      • Figure 6: Types of clothing purchased in the last 12 months, 2022
    • Purchasing for younger age groups more frequent
      • Figure 7: Age of children for whom childrenswear was bought in the last 12 months, 2022
    • Online still strong for childrenswear
      • Figure 8: Channels used to purchase childrenswear, 2022
    • Supermarkets remain the top retailer
      • Figure 9: Types of retailers used to purchase childrenswear, 2022
    • Value at the forefront as consumers seek to cut back
      • Figure 10: Cost-saving behaviours when purchasing childrenswear, 2022
    • Price and longevity key drivers
      • Figure 11: Important factors when shopping for schoolwear and non-schoolwear, 2022
    • A quarter of consumers show interest in rental services
      • Figure 12: Attitudes towards childrenswear purchasing, 2022
  3. Issues and Insights

    • The impact of the cost of living crisis on the childrenswear market
    • Opportunities for the childrenswear market
    • Children’s rental and resale is growing
    • Growing the teen and tween market
  4. Market Size and Performance

    • A resilient market, but growth is still slow
      • Figure 13: Estimated consumer spending on childrenswear, 2017-22
    • Growth still expected, however stagnant
  5. Market Forecast

    • Childrenswear has shown strength of character
      • Figure 14: Category outlook, 2022-27
    • Cautious spending as financial worries hit households
      • Figure 15: Market forecast for childrenswear, 2017-27
    • Gradual recovery to pre-pandemic levels
      • Figure 16: Consumer spending on childrenswear, 2017-27
    • Learnings from the last income squeeze
    • Forecast methodology
  6. Market Segmentation

    • More space given to boyswear
      • Figure 17: Estimated UK value sales of childrenswear, by segment, 2017-21
    • Girlswear regains some lost share
      • Figure 18: Segmentation of UK childrenswear market, based on current prices, 2017-21
    • Infantswear remains resilient
    • Gender-neutral childrenswear
  7. Channels to Market

    • Clothing retailers take biggest share…
      • Figure 19: Sales of childrenswear, % by outlet type, 2019-21
    • …while supermarkets are catching up
  8. Market Drivers

    • Birth rates in England and Wales begin to rise
      • Figure 20: Trends in the number of live births in England and Wales, 2000-21
    • Average age of first-time mothers continues to rise
      • Figure 21: Trends in the mean age of mothers at birth of their first child, England and Wales, 2000-20
    • Increase in the number of households with children
      • Figure 22: Total households with dependent children, 2012-21
    • The makeup of families is changing
      • Figure 23: Families in the UK with dependent children, by family type, 2001-21
    • Number of children per family remains stable
      • Figure 24: Families with dependent children, by number of dependent children, 2001-21
    • Consumer price inflation rises for clothing
      • Figure 25: Consumer price inflation, October 2021-24
    • Inflation is the key concern for consumers and brands…
    • …and despite government support, energy prices are still a major concern
    • Rising interest rates mean that the pressure will move up to middle- and higher-income households
    • High inflation and rising interest rates will compound the impact of the slowing recovery
    • Consumer spending power will be curbed
    • Unemployment is at a near 50-year low
    • Consumers’ financial wellbeing has fallen from the highs of 2021…
      • Figure 26: Household financial wellbeing index, 2009-22
    • …and most people are feeling the effects of price rises
  9. Launch Activity and Innovation

    • Rental market for childrenswear expands
    • Selfridges launches rental service for kidswear
    • Marks and Spencer teams up with Dotte to join kidswear resale market
    • Resale platform Dotte launches app
      • Figure 27: Dotte’s resale app, 2023
    • Stella McCartney launches babywear on rental platform Bundlee
    • Partnerships and collaborations
    • Laura Ashley partners with Mamas & Papas
    • Mamas & Papas opens in selected Marks and Spencer stores
    • Mamas & Papas launches take-back scheme with Oxfam
    • The Parently Group brands join clothing platform Reskinned
    • Kidly launches partnership with Next
    • George at Asda reveals accessible collection for BBC Children in Need
    • Kit & Kin goes green for Black Friday
    • Brands and retailers expanding their childrenswear offering
    • Mango to expand its Kids division
    • Missguided launches MG Kids
      • Figure 28: Missguided launches kidswear collection MG Kids, 2022
    • Whistles reveals kids’ clothing collection
  10. Advertising and Marketing Activity

    • Advertising expenditure quickly recovers
      • Figure 29: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on childrenswear, 2018-22
    • M&S topples supermarkets as the top advertising spender
      • Figure 30: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on childrenswear, by top 20 advertisers, 2018-22
    • Digital the main medium for childrenswear advertising
      • Figure 31: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on childrenswear, 2022
    • Key campaigns
    • George at Asda launches back-to-school campaign
    • Living Streets Walk to School challenge
    • Sports Direct uses social media platform TikTok for back-to-school campaign
    • Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
  11. Childrenswear Purchasing

    • Children’s clothing the priority
      • Figure 32: Types of clothing purchased in the last 12 months, 2022
    • Mothers the main buyers of childrenswear
      • Figure 33: Who childrenswear was bought for, 2022
    • Purchasing for younger age groups more frequent
      • Figure 34: Age of children for whom childrenswear was bought in the last 12 months, 2022
    • Gifting levels higher among younger age groups
      • Figure 35: Purchasing of childrenswear, by age of child bought for, 2022
  12. Channels Used

    • Online still strong for childrenswear
      • Figure 36: Channels used to purchase childrenswear, 2022
    • Preference for in-store shopping highest when buying babywear
      • Figure 37: NET channels used to purchase childrenswear, for each age group, 2022
    • Women more likely to shop via smartphone
      • Figure 38: Channels used to purchase childrenswear, by gender, 2022
  13. Types of Retailers Used

    • Supermarkets remain the top retailer
      • Figure 39: Types of retailers used to purchase childrenswear, 2022
    • Men more likely to choose online-only retailers
      • Figure 40: Types of retailers used to purchase childrenswear, by gender, 2022
    • Socio-economic groups dictate where to shop
      • Figure 41: Types of retailers used to purchase childrenswear in the last 12 months, by socio-economic group, 2022
  14. Changes in Behaviour When Buying Childrenswear

    • Value at the forefront as consumers seek to cut back
      • Figure 42: Cost-saving behaviours when purchasing childrenswear, 2022
      • Figure 43: Cost-saving behaviours when purchasing childrenswear, by age of children in household, 2022
    • Mothers more likely to sell used items
      • Figure 44: Cost-saving behaviours when purchasing childrenswear, by mothers and fathers of under-16s, 2022
  15. Important Factors When Shopping for Childrenswear

    • Price and longevity key drivers
    • Important for childrenswear to be adjustable
    • Seeking sustainability among childrenswear
      • Figure 45: Important factors when shopping for schoolwear and non-schoolwear, 2022
  16. Attitudes towards Childrenswear

    • Quality essential for childrenswear
      • Figure 46: Attitudes towards childrenswear purchasing, 2022
    • A quarter of consumers show interest in rental services
    • Over half want to see retailers promoting inclusivity
  17. Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information

    • Abbreviations
    • Consumer research methodology
  18. Appendix: Forecast Methodology

    • Market forecast and prediction intervals
      • Figure 47: Forecast for consumer spending on childrenswear, 2022-27
    • Market drivers and assumptions
    • Forecast methodology

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