A variety of school supplies, which include slices and backpacks in different colors and patterns, are exhibited for the next school year.
Deb Cohn-Forch | UCG | Universal Image Group | Getty images
According to a new PWC consumption survey, families are not stopping in the spending back to school, despite the growing economic pressure.
Almost three quarters of buyers return to school expect to spend the same amount or more this year as in 2024, according to the PWC survey of almost 2,000 parents. In fact, more than 1 in 3 parents anticipate spending more than they did last year.
“Much of this is necessary. It is the people to know that they will have to obtain this specific book, or these specific supplies for the school or require technology for their children,” said Kelly Pedersen, a Retail leader of PWC.
The results indicate a consumer oriented to value, said Pedersen, but at the same time, the expense of return to school is isolated because “this is just a necessary expense every year.”
The results occur when consumers deal with an uncertain economic environment due to global commercial dynamics. While consumer confidence for May was stronger than expected, the expense for the month withdrew.
The temporary pauses of some of President Donald Trump’s tariffs have been seen as a positive indicator for consumers, although the long -term path for rates is still clear, especially because some retailers have said that prices will increase.
Among the busting destinations back to school, Walmart and Aim He said they plan to walk through some prices, while Best Buy It is among the retailers who said that some prices have already increased.
“Many of the average consumers in the US. UU. They feel that this cloud hung above, when they will reach tariffs and what they will do at prices,” said Pedersen.
He said that the value will be important in the future, since he has seen consumers change to more discounts retailers in recent months.
In fact, buying items only with discount and reusing items from previous years are among the main ways in which consumers plan to save during the return season to school, according to the survey.
For those who are cutting the expense back to school, technology and clothing are the two main categories in which they plan to go back, according to PWC, while the essential elements such as books and school supplies are more isolated.
In the technology back to school, 25% of parents plan to spend more than $ 500, while 42% expect to pay less than $ 50.
While the amount of costs of return to school has remained relatively constant in general, parents are changing the ways in which they buy.
Artificial intelligence in particular is affecting how parents handle the season back to school. One in 5 buyers plan to use AI tools to find online offers, according to the survey.
When it comes to a physical retail trade, generation Z is leading the way. The parents of the Z surveyed generated were more likely than millennials or parents of generation X to buy exclusively in the store, suggesting that the youngest generation could be contributing to the brick and mortar resilience, PWC said.
