The Warehouse asks schools to give parents choice

January 27, 2012

The Warehouse asks schools to give parents choice

The Warehouse says recent reports about the high costs of sending children to school have raised questions about the practise of schools advising parents where to buy stationery and uniforms.

Chief Executive of The Warehouse, Mark Powell, says it doesn’t seem right that parents aren’t given a choice.

“There’s nothing wrong with schools partnering with suppliers in order help raise funds that benefit the school or community.

“However, it’s our strong view that parents must have choice. We are concerned that some schools are starting to restrict parents’ right to choose where they shop, and that this is causing financial pain for many families.”

Mr Powell says a set of typical school stationery items purchased from The Warehouse, rather than a commonly-used school supplier such as OfficeMax, could save parents an average of 35%.

Mr Powell says The Warehouse prices its products for the average Kiwi family and is calling on schools to make the system fairer for parents, particularly given the financial challenges being faced by many families.

“What we’re saying is that times are tough out there. Schools need to ensure choice, transparency and competition so parents can be satisfied that they’re not paying any more than they need to, to send their kids to school.”

ENDS

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