Aldi has set up a Back-to-School Fund to help parents cover the costs of the new academic year.

According to the supermarket's research, 73 per cent of parents admit that covering the costs is a worry.

Aldi is now inviting parents in Lancashire to apply for £100 vouchers throughout September.

The supermarket is also donating £20,000 to causes that support children, including schools and nurseries in Lancashire via giving platform Neighbourly.

The move comes after Aldi's research showed parents spend more than £100 per child on items such as new shoes, pencil cases, and lunchboxes.

These expenses continue throughout the school year, with parents forking out an average of £23 a week on packed lunches and £90 on after-school clubs and extra-curricular activities.

Liz Fox, national sustainability director at Aldi UK, said: "We know the back-to-school period can be a real pinch point for family finances, especially after having to contend with keeping the kids entertained during the summer school holidays.

"As the UK’s lowest-priced supermarket, we’re committed to doing whatever we can to support parents in making their money go further and that’s why we’re giving parents an extra helping hand via our Back-to-School Fund this September.

"We’re giving our customers the chance to apply for vouchers to help parents cover the cost of packed lunches and other essentials that they’ll need to stock up on throughout the school year."

Parents can apply for vouchers by emailing AldiBTSFund@citypress.co.uk by September 30.

A total of 100 people will be selected to receive a £100 voucher.