Parents should hold off buying this back to school staple 'as close to their first day as possible', says retailer

Mother helping child try on his school uniform, including school shoes, in the hallway at home.

Back to school shopping ramps up 18 days before the new academic year starts, says new research. But parents might want to hold off on buying these specific items until the last minute, according to this retailer. Here's why.

Getting back to school supplies is something of a summer holiday ritual, and this year parents are set to spend £2.3billion on these essentials. Now a study from Sports Direct has revealed that outer jackets and coats are the first purchases that parents make, almost three weeks out from the first day of school, followed by school uniforms, PE kits and school backpacks.