The cost-cutting kilt being sold by Lidl's ahead of ‘Burns Night' has sold out across Scotland within an hour of going on sale.  Customers who wish to celebrate the Bard' s night and wear traditional Highland dress can buy one of three tartans - either Black Watch, MacKenzie or Douglas.  In a great marketing and sales coup Lidl's stores are also stocking Jacobite shirts for £12.99, sporrans for £12.99 and socks at £3.99 a pair -unheard of prices.

Lidl's stores have also readied themselves by stocking traditional Scottish fare such as haggis, neeps an tatties.   All this competition from abroad must be great for the consumer as Asda has demonstrated with its gents suits for £15.00.  Sure enough the only complainers are the owners of home grown tartan kilt makers.  E.g. Ken MacDonald, of the ‘Scottish Tartans Authority' and owner of Houston Kiltmakers in Paisley argues that the emergence of cut-price kilts was affecting the trade of up-market kilt retailers. 

Local kiltmakers and retailers are disparaging these imports from Taiwan etc for being acrylic and only three to four yards instead of the customary eight yards. Even if you have a kilt of 8 yards it would still only cost under £50.  Even a second-hand traditional kilt from a charity shop would cost you more and why it is supposed to last you a lifetime is anyone's guess as you don't keep trousers or jackets for a life time due to the body maturing and growing etc.

The cost of a full traditional kilt outfit ranges from the usual stores can cost around £450 to £1,200.  Its time for a change and ‘lang may ur lum reek'.