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Examination of current trends for jeans prices

Once upon a time the UK customer had little to pick from when it came to jeans. You basically had a two way choice, either from the original manufacturers like Levi, Lee and Wrangler, or from the department stores like Bhs who sold jeans which rarely fit or looked stylish. The problem was that the manufacturers had a virtual monopoly. They could pick their approved stores, and set their price unhindered, knowing in their wisdom that most fashion savvy consumers would not be seen dead in a store made pair of jeans.

Luckily a revolution in casual clothing took place in the 1990s. Major fashion houses like Armani and Calvin Klein found a demand for 'designer jeans', and were soon charging £80 and above for their wares. And then some economic alternatives surfaced, players like Brooker began designing Levi look-a-likes for a faction of the cost.

Then the waters were stirred even further, when supermarkets began challenging the pricing monopoly Levi had. Importing jeans from middle men in America, they were able to undercut the recommended retail price by up to 50%. Sadly for UK customers Tesco lost a three year legal battle with Levi in 2001. The ruling decreed that Tesco did not have the right to import Levi 501 jeans from America.

At the time Tesco were selling an average pair of Levi jeans for £27.99. This was around 40% lower than Levi were selling their items at approved outlets in the UK. Levi felt having their jeans sold next to groceries cheapened the appeal of their brand. It was not however all bad news for the UK consumer. Tesco have continued to sell Levi jeans, because they can still import from Europe, and this is cheaper than buying direct from Levi UK. The downside was that Tesco could have lowered their price even further if they were allowed to source their jeans from either Asia or America.

So how has the past seventeen years left the landscape of jeans, and their pricing structure? The choice on offer has expanded immeasurable. Gone are the days of four major brands dominating the market. Whilst Levi, Pepe, Lee and Wrangler continue to thrive, there are plenty of valid alternatives. And the demand for jeans has not dimmed one iota. On the high street the likes of Levi and Wrangler have done a good job of continuing to fix their prices. As always Levi cost in the region of £35-50, and Wrangler are ten pounds cheaper, because they know in a two way fair fight they will come a distant second.

What should also not be underestimated is the offerings from chain stores like Next, Gap, who have virtually equaled the style and quality of Levi. Then you have the bargain basement chains like Matalan who offer jeans from only £6. And who recently sold Calvin Klein jeans for just £20, when the rrp was £50. Whichever way you cut it, never has the consumer had so much choice, and such opportunities for a bargain.

Supermarkets and the Internet have also helped bring grey imports to the masses, which should not be confused with fakes. The one problem with the Internet, and eBay in particular is the wide selection of fakes on offer, which helps make it extremely difficult for consumers to safely buy branded jeans if they feature a huge discount. It's therefore worth buying online from known and trusted retailers, and to research the independents you have no knowledge of. We will soon be providing a list to the right of trusted retailers.

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