Eight Premier League clubs accused of ‘blatant greed’ over price hikes for shirts

Football fans are facing significant price hikes for replica shirts, with some now costing up to £90 after eight Premier League clubs increased their prices. The move has drawn sharp criticism from consumer experts, who warn of "blatant greed" and the potential for a surge in counterfeit purchases. Tottenham supporters are now expected to pay £90 for an adult first-team replica shirt, a £5 increase from last year, while a child’s shirt for a three-year-old now commands £70. Chelsea has similarly raised its prices by £5, with shirts now costing £89.99. Newly promoted Coventry City has seen a £10 jump to £70 for adult shirts, with children’s kits rising by 25 per cent to £60, and baby kits priced at £55. Ipswich Town shirts are up £6 to £65, while Leeds, Bournemouth , and Hull have all increased their prices by £5. Overall, ten clubs now charge £80 or more for a replica shirt. Brentford stands out as the only Premier League club to keep its kit for two years, offering a slight reprieve. Fans will also have to splash out almost £90 to get a Chelsea replica shirt (Getty) Consumer expert Scott Dixon, from The Complaints Resolver, condemned the increases, stating: "These price rises will leave many loyal fans wondering when enough is enough. We see this year in, year out, and it smacks of blatant greed and an own goal that could backfire on clubs. These kits are overpriced by anyone’s standards and will leave many fans priced out." He highlighted the particular impact on families: "Children’s clothing is zero rated and there’s less material used to make their kits, so parents will rightly question how some clubs can justify increases of up to 25 per cent. Clubs know how ‘pester power’ works from a marketing angle and how it puts pressure on parents to buy the latest shirts so they don’t feel left out." (PA Wire) He urged clubs to reconsider their approach. “Loyal fans deserve better. Clubs should be making it easier for the next generation of supporters to feel part of their club, not pricing them out." Dixon also warned of the wider implications: "Fans ought to vote with their feet and wallets and refuse to pay it. The unintended consequences will be fans buying cheap counterfeits, which is known to fund organised crime." This warning comes as authorities recently seized counterfeit football shirts worth over £18 million in the UK during the World Cup, citing safety concerns. Operation Bloxwich, a UK police enforcement effort targeting fake goods, saw the Police Intellectual Crime Unit recover more than 220,000 pieces of football merchandise. One significant raid uncovered 1,618 fake strips from a Birmingham warehouse, including replicas of those worn by star players like Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland.