Nothing new under the sun

I see the Office of Fair Trading has decided to investigate the business of school uniforms at some schools only being acceptable if they have been purchased from certain approved suppliers, despite virtually identical articles being available at cheaper prices from other outlets. Quite right too, but what amazes me is the implied assumption that this is something relatively new. Of course there was no OFT when I went to secondary school in 1948, but I remember my parents complaining bitterly at having to buy my uniform from the most expensive shop in town - they being the school's only official stockists.