FawnlyNappies are one of the biggest recurrent costs of a new baby, and working out which brand is actually the cheapest can be trickier than it sounds. Here's a fair comparison, and an estimated cost of nappies for the first year.
The size dilemma
Not all nappies are made equally, and standard sizing doesn't really exist. While most are labelled size 1, size 2, size 3 and so on, that number isn't comparable between brands - one brand's size 3 covers a different minimum and maximum weight than another's. A Peachies size 4, for example, is made for a 10-17 kg baby, whereas a Pampers size 4 is for 9-14 kg.
Different brands also use different materials and cut patterns, so fit is body-shape dependent. Some babies have a long, lean torso; others have chunkier legs - which means two babies of exactly the same weight can sit in two completely different nappy sizes. A good fit means no wee leakage and no poonamis, so getting it right really matters.
Signs a nappy is too small
- Red marks on baby's tummy or thighs
- Frequent poonamis and leakage
- Tabs that don't close easily
- You can't fit two fingers under the waistband or leg cuffs
- It doesn't give enough coverage
Signs a nappy is too big
- Frequent leakage
- The tabs overlap easily
Price analysis
This analysis looks at 12 nappy brands, which fall into four pricing tiers - basic, mid, high and premium. Many brands offer different pack sizes, and you can often save by buying a larger pack; with online brands like Peachies, a subscription can save money too.
- Basic - supermarket own-brands: Aldi Mamia, Asda Little Angels, Sainsbury's Little Ones, Morrisons Nutmeg, Tesco Fred & Flo.
- Mid - Boots own-brand, Rascals.
- High - Pampers, Kit & Kin, Boots Little Stories (Boots' eco range).
- Premium - Mama Bamboo, Peachies.
Explore the prices yourself in the interactive figure below. Nappy sizes have been standardised by weight range, and you can filter by small or large pack sizes.
Interactive - pick a weight, pack size and pricing to redraw the charts.
Method: weight bands are inclusive, so a borderline weight (e.g. 5kg) can match two sizes (Size 1 = 2-5kg and Size 2 = 4-8kg) - both are pooled. Pack size = nappies per pack (rough proxy for carry packs vs value boxes). "Standard" pricing uses normal one-off prices; "With subscription" swaps in the cheaper subscription price for brands that offer it (currently Peachies).
Does buying a jumbo pack save money?
The short answer is yes. Jumbo packs save an average of about 6% per nappy, and for Pampers in particular the saving is notable.
Saving per nappy when you buy the jumbo pack instead of a standard one (same size)
How often do nappies need changing?
A baby gets through roughly 2,100-3,200 nappies in their first year. In the newborn stage that's around 8-12 a day, tapering to about 5-7 a day for an older baby or toddler.
Nappy changes per day through the first year (low / medium / high)
The price of nappies in the first year
If we account for both the frequency of changes and sizing up - nappies get more expensive as babies grow into bigger sizes, and fewer fit in each pack - we can estimate the cost of a full year:
Average price per nappy by size, by tier - the same nappy gets pricier as your baby grows
- Basic: £100-155
- Mid: £270-420
- High: £475-730
- Premium: £925-1,425
How we calculate the cost for each tier
The simple version is: first-year cost = price per nappy × nappies used in year one, where the nappies used is the sum of each month's changes-per-day × ~30.4 days (about 2,100 / 2,500 / 3,200 for low / typical / high). The figures above use the more precise size-weighted version: cost = Σ (nappies used at each size × that tier's price for that size). Using mostly reusables roughly multiplies the disposable cost by 0.1.
Cheapness isn't the whole story: the ethical angle
Price is one axis; how a nappy is made is another. The independent Good Shopping Guide scores brands on environment, animal welfare and corporate behaviour, with a score of 75 or above as their ethical benchmark. Here's how the brands in this analysis compare:
| Brand | Price tier | Ethical score | Accredited |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mama Bamboo | premium | 98 | ✓ |
| Kit & Kin | high | 82 | – |
| Rascals | mid | 79 | – |
| Boots Baby | mid | 33 | – |
| Pampers | high | 21 | – |
Mama Bamboo tops the table (98) and is the only formally accredited brand - premium on price, but leading on ethics. Kit & Kin (82) and Rascals (79) also score well above the benchmark. At the other end, Pampers (21) scores poorly despite sitting in a higher price tier.
One caveat: the Good Shopping Guide rates Boots' standard own-brand (score 33), not the newer Boots Little Stories eco range, so there's no independent score for it yet. Supermarket own-brands and Peachies aren't rated either. Ratings: The Good Shopping Guide – Ethical Nappies, retrieved June 2026.
Method: prices gathered from UK retailers in mid-2026, converted to price per nappy and standardised by weight band and pack size. Prices change constantly and vary by retailer and offer - treat these as a guide, not a quote.