Economic Worries Won't Stop Back-to-School Shoppers

Consumers may have concerns over the price of everyday goods, but that worry appears that it will have little impact on the items shoppers buy to send their children back to school, according to a new report from PwC.

In a recent survey of consumers, nearly 3 in 4 said they expect to spend the same or more on back-to-school products heading into the 2025-26 school year. Additionally, more than 1 in 3 expect to pay more than they did a year ago.

"Many American families are forging ahead with back-to-school shopping plans despite mounting economic pressure," PwC said in its report, which surveyed nearly 1,200 parents. "This spending resilience suggests that retailers who manage inventory effectively and communicate value clearly will likely outperform during this important retail season."

When looking at the expected spending on key product categories, 40% of respondents expect to pay $251 or more for technology products, 56% expect to pay between $101-$500 on apparel, 49% will spend less than $50 on books and education materials, and 62% said they will spend $100 or less on school supplies.

For those trimming their back-to-school budgets, categories such as technology (44%) and clothing/shoes (40%) will be first on the chopping block, with spending on books/educational materials and school supplies expected to be maintained or see less of a spending decrease.

Among shoppers looking to stretch their dollars, 37% said they will purchase only sale items, with 37% saying they plan to shop earlier. Reusing items from the prior school year is a tactic for 34% of consumers, while 22% said they will buy more store brand products.

Additionally, the PwC survey also revealed the impact income has on where consumers shop. Households earning $75,000 or more are nearly twice as likely to shop exclusively online (14%) as those earning less than $75,000 (8%). Conversely, families earning less than the median are almost twice as likely to shop exclusively in-store (30% vs. 17% of households earning $75,000 or more).