French School Supply Prices Drop 0.6% Ahead of Back-to-School

Prices for school supplies in France have seen a modest decrease of 0.6% in the period between June 29 and August 23, compared to the same timeframe last year. This finding comes from a joint study by the Association of Paper and Office Industry (AIPB) and the market research firm NielsenIQ.

Despite the price drop, sales volume experienced a slight decline of 0.8%. Researchers noted this as "good resistance" for the school supply market, especially considering an estimated 1.4% decrease in the number of students returning to school. This suggests that the market is holding up relatively well amidst changing student demographics.

The study indicates that household budget decisions, influenced by economic uncertainty and consumer spending on items like fans and air conditioners during summer heatwaves, have shifted purchasing habits. Consumers are increasingly concentrating their school supply purchases closer to the back-to-school date, a trend amplified this year by the August 18th disbursement of the school supply allowance.

National brands have strengthened their market share, now accounting for over 70% of sales volume, an increase of one percentage point from the previous year. The back-to-school period alone generates approximately two-thirds of the annual revenue for school supplies. While purchasing patterns are diverse, with consumers using an average of 3.8 channels, a combination of physical stores and online shopping is common. Overall sales between June 29 and August 23 generated 389 million euros, a 1.4% decrease year-on-year.