Parents heading out for the back-to-school shop have been urged to check their loyalty points and vouchers before spending a penny, with families potentially sitting on savings they have forgotten about.
The cost of getting children ready for the new school year can quickly run into hundreds of pounds, with primary school uniforms estimated to cost around £315 to £340 a year.
For secondary school children, the average bill can rise to around £442 to £454 once items including shoes and PE kit are included.
But parents may already have money available to put towards the bill without realising it.
New research from Antavo's Global Customer Loyalty Report 2026 found that 27 per cent of all loyalty points go unspent every year.
And where loyalty schemes have expiry dates, around 12 per cent of points lapse before they are redeemed.
With the back-to-school shop now underway, parents have been urged to check supermarket and retailer accounts for forgotten points, vouchers and rewards before reaching for their bank cards.
Zsuzsa Kecsmar, co-founder of Antavo and a mum of three currently doing the back-to-school shop herself, has shared seven ways families can potentially cut the cost.
See our guide to the best uniforms for 2026 here.
1. Check loyalty points before buying anything
The first step is surprisingly simple: check what you already have.
Parents should log into supermarket and retailer apps before buying uniforms, stationery, shoes or school bags to see whether they have accumulated points or vouchers.
A balance that looks relatively small could still take a chunk out of the final bill.
With more than a quarter of loyalty points going unused, families could be leaving money behind without realising it.
2. Use points before they expire
Some loyalty schemes have expiry dates, meaning points can disappear if they are not used within a certain period.
The summer holidays could therefore be a good time to check whether any rewards are approaching their deadline.
Instead of allowing them to vanish, parents could use them towards essentials such as school uniform, stationery or shoes.
3. Don't automatically pay more for branded uniform
New rules coming into effect from September 2026 are set to limit the number of compulsory branded school uniform items many schools can require.
Where schools allow a choice, parents could potentially save by buying plain polo shirts, trousers and PE kit rather than paying extra for branded alternatives.
Supermarket uniform can often cost considerably less, while loyalty points or cashback can potentially reduce the bill further.
4. Pool points if your loyalty scheme allows it
Small loyalty balances can quickly add up when combined.
Some schemes allow families to share or pool points, which could be particularly useful for households where different family members have separate accounts.
More than a third of shoppers say they would use point pooling if it were available.
For families with several children, combining rewards could potentially turn a collection of small balances into enough to cover a pair of school shoes or another essential.
5. Look for discount codes you can stack
Parents should not automatically assume that the biggest-looking sale banner offers the best saving.
Discount codes remain one of the most popular types of promotion, according to the research.
It's worth checking whether a retailer is offering a discount through its loyalty scheme, and whether that can be combined with existing points, vouchers or cashback.
The cheapest-looking option at first glance is not always the cheapest once all available rewards are taken into account.
6. Refer friends before you finish the school shop
Referral schemes can also provide a useful source of extra points or vouchers.
Some loyalty programmes offer rewards when an existing customer refers a new member.
Parents who are already signed up could check whether they have a referral bonus available before completing their shopping.
Those extra rewards could then be used towards items needed once the new school term begins, from backpacks to lunchboxes and other essentials.
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7. Don't assume every ‘deal’ is actually cheaper
A huge percentage-off sign does not necessarily mean you're getting the best price.
Parents should compare the final cost with any loyalty price, voucher or points redemption already available to them.
A bundle or discount code may look tempting but could still work out more expensive than buying a cheaper alternative and using accumulated rewards.
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