Start very early or, conversely, at the last moment: everyone has their own method for saving on back-to-school supplies. But there is a particular moment when prices are at their lowest, according to the Que Choisir Ensemble association.
Every year, it’s the same story for parents: as soon as school is over, we already have to organize what’s next. Registrations are already done, but the start of the school year is often synonymous with stress… and a financial blow. Because you still have to buy all the school supplies. And between the very specific requirements of certain teachers, and the ever-changing desires of the children, the bill rises very quickly.
Of course, parents already know that they can save by choosing low-cost brands and above all avoiding licensed products, bearing the image of a cartoon character for example, which are often much more expensive… but also more popular with children. On the other hand, many do not know exactly the best time to pay less for back-to-school items.
No, it’s not in June “before everyone else” that you will get the best deals: at this end of the school year, the shelves are less stocked and “prices are at their highest”despite the sales, according to the observations of Que Choisir Ensemble. The same goes for those who prefer to wait until the last moment, at the end of August or beginning of September, thinking that distributors will run promotions to sell off remaining stocks. This is false, quite the contrary: prices rise again at the end of August, and jump even more once the start of the school year has passed, forcing latecomers to spend more.
In reality, it is between mid-July and mid-August that it is best to do your back-to-school shopping. According to the consumer association, school supplies become a loss leader during the summer, and supermarkets therefore use them to attract new and regular customers. Thus, they offer promotions that “gradually lower prices until mid-August”. Clearly, it is better to do your shopping during the first half of August, even if it means going to the supermarket during the holidays.
To save even more, some major retailers organize summer operations every year to take back old school bags in exchange for a voucher of around 10 euros or a reduction voucher. This is often the case at Carrefour, Office Dépôt, Bureau Vallée, Cultura, Auchan, Leclerc, Magasins U, and even Intermarché.
Of course, many families have no choice but to wait for the payment of the back-to-school allowance, which falls around mid-August. For those who can, it is therefore preferable to advance the costs and see the ARS as a reimbursement. For others, don’t wait and go buy kits and satchels as soon as the payment arrives, before prices rise again. When we know that the price of school supplies has increased by another 2% this year – as was already the case last year, not to mention the 10% jump observed between 2022 and 2023 – it becomes all the more essential to do it at the right time so as not to ruin the entire vacation budget in preparing for the start of the school year.
