A review of UK children's retail sizing standards
On 28 February 2013, Shape GB published the results of the first comprehensive measurement survey carried out on children, which aims to update the publicly available British Standards Institution (BSI) standard based on 1978 data, and the 1990 children's retail sizing (private) standards of Marks & Spencer.
Who – Shape GB is a collaborative project between six major UK retailers – Tesco, Marks & Spencer, Next, Monsoon, Shop Direct and George at Asda, jointly accounting for 48 percent of the UK children's wear market – five UK universities, and specialists in retail sizing surveys and 3D scanning (Alvanon and Select Research).
What – A two phase process: First the measurement of 2,500 boys and girls aged 4-17 throughout the UK over two years using 3D body imaging scanners. Second, analyzing the measurements of the target group of new-borns to four year olds – results of which are expected to be published by Shape GB in Autumn 2013.
Where – Because the Shape GB study focused on UK children only and was initiated by UK retailers and universities, it remains to be seen whether this excellent initiative will result in similar (harmonized) measurement projects within continental Europe.
Why – As the last standards for children's wear measurements were based on data from 1978 and 1990, the participating UK retailers agreed there was a pressing need to update the existing standards, and to ensure that these new common standards accurately reflect body shapes of children nowadays.
One of the findings of the study carried out by Shape GB is that while children have only slightly grown in height since the study carried out by Marks & Spencer in 1990, they have grown significantly larger in girth. The average 11-year-old boy, for instance, now has a chest measurement of 78.5 cm (10 cm wider than captured by the 1990 study), with a waist of 70 cm (8.5 cm wider) and hip measurements of 80.2 cm (7 cm wider); the average height of an 11 year old boy has gone up by just 3.6 cm since 1990. Similar evolutions in measurement were found for 11-year-old girls during the study.
Another interesting finding is that there is less variation within sizes when children are grouped by height rather than by age: it is more likely that a 104 cm tall child will have a waist of X cm, rather than a 10 year old being 104 cm.
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