Grandparents big on back-to-school sales

New York -- It's back to school for many U.S. students and in these tough times with a lot of clothes to buy it's the grandparents footing the bill, a survey indicates.

USA Today, in a New York report, says it discovered that in three of the top five cities where projections say the most will be spent on children's apparel this year, there's also a lot of 65-year-olds.

The three cities are Juneau, Alaska, West Palm Beach and Fort Myers, Fla., and they have retirement communities with lots of well-to-do grandparents.

But, retailers say, it's not just rich grandparents helping out in tough times. It's grandparents of all means.

And, says Dan Butler, vice president of retail operations at the National Retail Federation, parents are happy for the help.

Retailers know a good thing – they say grandparents are now major apparel buyers for grandkids.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International.