Supermarket giant, Tesco has pipped 10 other UK retailers to the top spot, boasting the most stylish staff uniform according to a new survey from custom clothing experts, ICON Printing.
Comparing Asda’s eye-catching polo shirt and vest to Sainsbury’s sports-luxe jacket and Waitrose’s formal apron and tie among others, ICON Printing put the uniforms of 11 of the UK’s favourite household names under the microscope.
(Image credit: ICON Printing)
ICON Printing asked 1,000 Brits to choose their favourite staff uniforms. Just as we all have our favourite supermarkets for our weekly shop, as a nation, we have some pretty strong opinions over which staff uniforms we like the most. See the findings below:
Tesco- 22.9%
Marks & Spencer- 19.8%
Asda- 15.7%
Sainsbury’s- 14%
Booths- 11%
Iceland- 10.5%
Lidl- 10.2%
Waitrose- 9.8%
Aldi- 8.8%
Co-op- 8.6%
Morrisons- 7.4%
Alex Econs, custom merch expert and founder of ICON Printing, shares his thoughts on why Tesco came out top, and Morrisons failed to wow with their staff uniforms.
“Despite being around since 1919, Tesco didn’t actually have an official logo until 1932. However, they have proved that less is sometimes more as the Tesco staff uniform consisting of a navy blue polo shirt has come out as the most popular supermarket uniform among Brits. With their iconic logo and colour scheme, Tesco can get away with having a super simple uniform design.
“A few variations of the Tesco uniform have existed in recent years however the classic blue polo shirt, with red piping, remains familiar and a firm favourite amongst brits. Perhaps it’s the associations that come with being a consistent runner in the UK’s top 3 favourite supermarket chains that help Brits favour the uniform worn by Tesco staff.¹
“The green Morrisons’ staff uniform was introduced in the UK in 2021 as part of the company’s efforts to portray their commitment to sustainability and the environment. However, it seems this falls short of success as the uniform was voted the least favourite. Whilst simplicity works for Tesco, the monochrome green look has failed to grab the attention of shoppers.”
Alex adds some thoughts on what makes a staff uniform successful: “A uniform makes a statement about your brand, promotes pride in the workplace and even offers free advertising for your business when your employees are coming to and from work. But to create a great staff uniform, there are two key considerations. The first step to designing a uniform is to understand what kind of experience you’re trying to create.
“While having a uniform that looks good is important, don’t lose sight of the fact that it has a practical purpose too – it needs to be fit for the job at hand and communicate the right message to customers. Are you creating a more luxurious shopping experience like at Booths or Waitrose and therefore have a more formal uniform to reflect this? Or are you a household staple providing everyday convenience like Aldi and Lidl where practicality is key?
“The second thing is to consider your employees– who are you designing uniforms for? It’s always important to think about the demographic of staff within your organisation. Are they younger? Older? Or a mix? It’s important to design a uniform that will complement your workforce, but also to design an outfit they will enjoy (and be proud of) wearing. Employees need to be happy with what they are wearing for work and it’s worth investing in it to create something they will feel comfortable and proud to have on.”
