The research house has predicted a rise in UK births over the next five years, which will produce an extra£400 million spend on clothing for infants and pre-school children. 'This will shift the emphasis in the market to the under-fives, hitting the schoolwear market,' its report said. Verdict also believes the schoolwear market will fall 6.9 per cent from£890 million to£829 million between now and 2009.
'Those that rely heavily on schoolwear [such as M&S] will have to strengthen the rest of their ranges or lose sales and market share,' Verdict warned.
In the£4.3 billion childrenswear market, M&S holds a 5.5 per cent share, and has slipped to joint fourth place along with Woolworths. Tesco is third with 6.2 per cent, George is second with 9.2 per cent and Next leads with 10.7 per cent.
Verdict predicts consolidation into the hands of specialists and supermarkets. The former are increasingly using childrenswear as an extension of lifestyle branding to generate incremental sales. Supermarkets have used kids' clothing as a launchpad for other ranges.
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