Childrenswear retailers could lose 'tweenagers'

Increasingly fashion-conscious 'tweenagers' could force childrenswear retailers to change their ways or quit the market altogether.

According to Verdict, 10- to 14-year-olds, or 'tweenagers', account for 42 per cent of the£3.8 billion childrenswear market.

They are developing more sophisticated tastes in clothing - girls chasing fashion and boys chasing brands - and are likely to gravitate to young fashion specialists.

According to Verdict, the childrenswear market is segmenting rapidly, with schoolwear becoming dominated by discounters and the rise of Generation XL - kids for whom a burger and a bag of crisps is a daily routine.