Cost of bringing up a baby soaring - how to get more for less

Baby products are getting expensive

According to the OECD (the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) the UK has the third most expensive childcare system in the world. With rising inflation and increasing costs in the UK, PriceRunner shares their best tips on how you can buy the baby products you need for less. 

Baby products have become all the more expensive. An analysis from PriceRunner shows that certain product categories for babies have increased by almost 40% over the past year, where individual products have increased even more.

"It is easy to get overwhelmed as a new parent and buy things you don't need, with companies marketing products as "must haves" and crucial for the baby when they aren't. Make a list of the essentials you really need and stick to it, avoiding spending too much and collecting things you won’t use." said Christine Gouldthorp, Consumer Expert at PriceRunner. 

In PriceRunner's analysis between January 2021 to February 2022, the average price on baby food increased by £2, with the average price rising from £9 to £11. For baby carriers, the average price increased by £8 – or 9% – to reach £94 by February 2022.

Sleeping bags on average cost £27 at the start of 2021, but by February this year, the average price was £37 – an increase of £10, or 37%. The average price of travel cots increased by nearly a quarter, or 24 %, from £67 at the start of last year to £83 by February 2022.

If this feels dicouraging, don’t worry, there are still plenty of ways to get what you need without breaking the bank. With a few tips you can become a savvier shopper and buy the products you need for less.

Christine shared her top tips on how to get more bang for your buck when buying baby products online:                               

• Always compare the price on a product before buying, I really can’t stress this enough. Sometimes the price on the same product can be more than twice as expensive between different retailers, when comparing the cheapest to the most expensive one, on the same day!
• Products will also vary in price throughout the year, sometimes with seasonal promotions, so set a price alert on the things you want and get notified when they drop in price. An easy way to take the stress out of getting the essentials!
• Shopping online can be a bit tricky as you can’t test and touch a product yourself. Get the right product for your baby by reading expert guides or reviews, as they have tried and tested the product for you. If those aren’t available, read other customer reviews of the product to get a feel of the quality and functionality of your desired products.

For an easy overview of all baby products and other essential items on sale, visit PriceRunner's deals page to get exactly what you need, for less.