Looking cool for school

Survey identified back-to-school apparel as the most important purchase for the new school year

MISSISSAUGA, ON, Aug. 15, 2012 /CNW/ - With back-to-school shopping in full swing, moms and kids are hitting the stores with lists in tow to stock up on everything from apparel to stationery to food.  Results of the Walmart Back-to-School Pulse Check* survey reveal 88 per cent of moms will be shopping for back-to-school clothes, making clothes the most important item on mom's list.

At the same time, the current state of the economy is causing more than half of Moms to struggle with balancing the family budget according to Walmart Canada's MomDEX, a survey of more than 2,000 Canadian moms.**  Almost three-quarters of moms feel back-to-school shopping is too expensive, which explains why price and value are the top two considerations when choosing where to shop for back-to-school products. When asked what Walmart should focus on in the current economic climate to help them stay on budget, 63 per cent of moms responded good quality clothes for children that withstand wear and tear.

Looks that last - George Kids Quality Guarantee

Quality control teams at Walmart Canada test every garment to ensure performance, durability and reliability. "We know kids can be tough on clothes so we know how important it is to stock our shelves with stylish quality apparel," said Mark Conway, vice president of apparel for Walmart Canada. "Not only do we stand by our product, but our George Kids Quality Guarantee means if your child wears out a piece of clothing before he outgrows it, we'll replace it."***

Affordability never goes out of style

"Walmart Canada is committed to providing the products our customers want at unbeatable prices, and that includes affordable back-to-school fashion," added Conway.  "We challenged our apparel buyers to create stylish back-to-school looks starting as low as $12 and we delivered. We're so proud of our back-to-school assortment and even prouder of our role in helping moms stay on budget as she gets her kids ready for school."

Top 10 apparel must-haves for under $10

Girls	Boys
Short-sleeved tees - $4 each	Graphic tees - $4 each
Long-sleeved tees - $4 each	Loose fit denim - $5 / $7each
Leggings - $4 each	Straight leg denim - $5 / $7 each
Skirts - $4 each	Fleece pant - $7 each
Denim - $5 / $7 each	Character tees - $7 each
Character tees - $7 each	Long-sleeved plaid shirts - $7 each
Fleece pants - $7 each	Fleece tops - $8 each
Fleece tops - $8 each	Graphic fleece hoodies - $8 each
Fashion top with purse - $10 each	Pull-on cargo pants - $10 each
Belted tunic top - $10 each	Long-sleeved graphic fooler top and toque - $10 each

Back to school shopping fast facts

• The back-to-school shopping period is the second busiest retail season behind Christmas
• Moms will spend $190.48 per child on average
• Over 50 per cent of moms say back-to-school shopping experience is a happy occasion
• 60 per cent of moms pick up a little treat for themselves while shopping for their children before the school year begins

About Walmart Canada

Walmart Canada operates a growing chain of discount stores and supercentres with more than 330 locations nationwide serving more than one million customers each day. With nearly 90,000 associates, Walmart Canada is one of Canada's largest employers and is recognized by Waterstone Human Capital as having one of Canada's top 10 corporate cultures. Walmart Canada is focused on helping Canadian families in need. Since 1994, Walmart has donated and raised more than $160 million to Canadian charities and not-for-profit organizations.

Additional company information can be found at www.walmartcanada.ca, http://www.facebook.com/walmartcanada and at www.twitter.com/@walmartcanada. Online merchandise sales are available at www.walmart.ca.

* The research for Back To School was conducted by Research Management Group for Walmart Canada between June 25 and June 28, 2012. 1,005 Canadians were surveyed. The margin of error for this survey is +/- 5.2, 19 times out of 20.

** The research for the MomDEX survey was conducted by Research Management Group for Walmart Canada between May 31 and June 7, 2012.  2,013 Canadian moms with children under 18 were interviewed. The margin of error for the national survey is +/- 5, 19 times out of 20.

***See in-store for details

 

 

SOURCE: Walmart Canada

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Felicia Fefer, manager, corporate affairs, 905-821-2111 x74466