Back to school 2026 | Competition Commission weighs in on uniform costs

Thanks! Share it with your friends!

You disliked this video. Thanks for the feedback!

Published Jan 13, 2026

School uniform manufacturers are enjoying a bumper season as back‑to‑school shopping peaks – but the Competition Commission is turning up the heat on schools over costly, exclusive uniform deals. The regulator is urging schools to make uniforms as generic as possible, appoint multiple suppliers and restrict exclusive branding to essential, reusable items to minimise costs.

The commission will be developing a national monitoring tool to track school uniform suppliers and prices, with deployment expected before the end of 2026.

Asive Dlanjwa, Executive Director at Free Education Movement shares more.

For more news, visit sabcnews.com and #SABCNews on all Social Media platforms.