Average student spending at €250 as back-to-school shopping begins

A few days before schools reopen (September 7 for secondary and high schools, and September 11 for primary schools), chaos is ensuing in bookstores, stationery shops, and stores selling school attire and sports shoes. Thousands of parents are rushing to procure essentials for the upcoming school year, adding to the financial strain on households. According to Loizos Constantinou, President of the Pancyprian Parents' Confederation, the cost of preparing for school starts at around 250-300 euros per child and increases with each additional child, based on education level and product choice including design, size, and brand. This encompasses items like school bags, notebooks, stationery, pencil cases, pens, markers, and clothing, usually including sports shoes. The estimated cost is 10-15% higher than in previous years due to inflation's impact on prices. This means that the reported amount of 300 euros becomes 600 euros for two children and 900 euros for three. Expenses further rise if a computer or tablet is purchased, although these are not annual expenses and are not factored into the fixed back-to-school costs.

Virginia Christou, representative of the Cyprus Consumers Association, shared data from an August 2 survey conducted across ten outlets representing 54 points of sale nationwide. The survey covered school supplies and clothing prices. The Association's overall finding is that prices exhibit a wide range but haven't significantly changed compared to 2022.

For instance, school bag costs span from 5 euros to 340 euros, with significantly lower prices starting at 1.5 euros. Pencils, markers, and pens range from 10 cents to 10 euros, even reaching 10 euros for individual items rather than packs. 50-sheet notebooks and two-subject spirals range from 40 cents to 12.6 euros while filing folder prices vary from 20 cents to 4 euros. Recent Consumer Price Index data highlights a 7% increase in stationery and drawing supplies, encompassing pencils, school pencil cases, pens, correction fluid, and erasers, based on July 2023 data compared to July 2022. Subsequent data for August 2023 is anticipated to reveal further price increases, in line with the annual trend ahead of the school year.

Trousers from 10-69 euros

School clothing costs for the upcoming year have risen compared to the previous year, primarily affecting items like school trousers, skirts, and blouses. The Association reports an increase of about 5-10 euros per piece for these specific items. Here's an overview of the price ranges: School trousers range from 10 to 69 euros. School shirts are relatively cheaper, varying from 6 to 48 euros per piece. As for school skirts, prices start at 7 euros and can go up to 48 euros per piece in some cases. Virginia Christou mentions that despite these price increases (which aren't uniform across all businesses), numerous promotions are available for these products. Additionally, many stores offer online purchasing options at lower prices compared to in-person shopping.

To analyze this, the Association conducted a comprehensive survey both online, examining store websites, and in physical stores. Simultaneously, consumer complaints regarding school supplies have been mounting. The primary concerns involve businesses not displaying prices on products, resulting in consumers only learning the total cost at the checkout. In other instances, advertised offers and price reductions aren't consistently applied during payment.

Market research is key

Conducting market research is crucial, as emphasized by the Consumer Protection Association. Parents are advised to create a list of essential back-to-school items and then compare prices and assess the quality of the items they intend to buy. This practice becomes especially important when alternative tools, like the Pupil's Basket, are not accessible. Greece, for instance, is implementing the Pupil's Basket, effective from today until October 3rd. This basket encompasses various product categories such as school bags, pencil cases, notebooks, pencils, markers, pens, erasers, sharpeners, readers, rulers, and photocopying paper. Businesses will submit a weekly list of products and their corresponding prices to the relevant department for public access. This initiative aims to facilitate informed purchasing decisions for parents. 

[This article first appeared in Oikonomiki's printed edition and was translated from its Greek original]