As the 2026 academic year nears, the Competition Commission highlights how exclusive supply deals inflate costs for school uniforms and stationery, burdening families financially. Parents report spending hundreds on basic items, with prices varying widely between retailers and school suppliers. The commission urges schools to adopt competitive practices to ease the strain.
The Competition Commission of South Africa has been addressing complaints about high prices for school uniforms and learning materials since 2010. In a recent media release, it noted that anti-competitive procurement practices, including long-term exclusive supply agreements lasting 10 to 50 years, keep costs elevated. Between 2020 and 2025, the commission resolved 465 such complaints.
"Parents should not be forced to procure school uniforms or related learning material from exclusive suppliers," said Mpho Moate, an analyst at the commission. Schools are encouraged to implement competitive bidding and limit unique branded items, as per a 2020 joint circular with the Department of Basic Education.
Price comparisons show stark differences. At chain stores like PEP, two long-sleeve white shirts cost R120 to R160, while at specialized suppliers like School and Leisure in Cape Town, a two-pack reaches R208.50, and grey shorts R293.50. A Pretoria mother spent R640 on stationery and R1,210 on clothes for her Grade 1 child at a private school.
Liana Turner, a Cape Town mother of three, called the prices "ridiculous," noting R600 for two school shirts and R3,000 to R4,000 on stationery for her children in grades 1, 4, and 6. Stationery packs for Grade 2 vary dramatically: R2,716.79 at Edenglen Primary in Gauteng versus R252.16 at Gaffie Maree Primary in the Northern Cape.
Retailers offer relief through promotions. PEP's deal gives school shoes for 99 cents with a R300 spend using specific cards, limited to the first 120,000 customers. "We know that the start of the school year can be tough on the family budget," said Beyers van der Merwe, PEP's chief marketing officer.
The commission is developing a monitoring tool with the Department of Basic Education, expected in schools by year's end. Paul Colditz, CEO of the Federation of Governing Bodies of South African Schools, emphasized in a 2021 newsletter that governing bodies have a fiduciary duty to ensure affordability without compromising quality. Parents are advised to shop around and report violations.
