Back-to-school shopping bloats budgets for some young families

FERGUS – September is a predictably busy time for big-box retailers like Walmart and Staples. 

With back-to-school season underway, parents with children in tow rove through the aisles, tossing school supplies, from pencil sets to protractors, into their shopping baskets.

But this year, stocking up on those necessities is putting a bigger dent in household budgets.

According to a survey by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) of more than 1,200 Canadian parents, nearly 60 per cent of respondents expect to spend more on back-to-school shopping this year, with rising prices a major reason.

Researchers at BCG found families expect to spend an average of about $700 on back-to-school purchases, although that number varies considerably with household income. 

Families in the bottom 20% of the income distribution expect to spend about $525, while those in the top 20% expect to spend about $925.

For lower-income households, even the smaller dollar figure can represent a significant expense at a time when families are already paying more for everyday necessities.

Aman Patel, department manager for general merchandise at the Fergus Walmart, has a front-row seat to what local families are putting in their carts, and what they are leaving on the shelves.

“There has been more sales of creative things like craft supplies and pencil crayons, and not much sales for things like lunch pails and school bags,” Patel said.

He also said shoppers have increasingly been buying Walmart’s discounted items.

Sales of appliances have remained steady, he said, possibly reflecting college and university students buying necessities for dorm rooms. 

But overall, Patel said sales of school supplies are down compared to last year.

For local resident Amy Lodder, the rising cost of sending her boys back to school has meant spending more on some necessities while finding ways to save on others.

Flanked by her boys, Lodder said that while her family is thankfully finished with back-to-school shopping, this year had seen them spend more and also adopt more cost-cutting measures.

Asked how spending compared with previous years, Lodder said it was “definitely more,” adding that “in general prices keep going up.”

One particularly expensive item has been shoes for her boys, with Lodder finding she has to pay more for shoes that won’t easily fall apart. Paying more for some higher-quality necessities has meant trade-offs elsewhere.

Her family’s choices echo some of what Patel is seeing at Walmart. 

Lodder said her family is reusing items such as backpacks and lunch pails this year and buying some clothing second-hand.

The BCG survey suggests these cost pressures are being felt across income levels, even as the amount families expect to spend varies considerably.