In 2024, Adrien Peyroles, the general manager of Bureau Vallée, the third largest player in the back-to-school market, was unable to rely on previous years to predict the evolution of his sales of school supplies for the period. This was because the schedule had been disrupted by the early legislative elections in early July, which changed the holiday calendar, and then by the Paris Olympics. Despite this, the network of 398 stores in France and abroad experienced a very good start in July, with a 10% increase in turnover in the first days compared to 2023, followed by a quieter end to the month with a 3% decrease for the last week of July. In hypermarkets, which usually account for over 70% of school supplies sales, sales of school supplies even decreased by more than 20% during the last week of July when the Olympics began.
This trend could contribute to accelerating the gradual shift in purchases observed in recent years, from July to August and even to the first two weeks of September. Many families tend to do their school supply shopping or add more items in the days following the start of the school year when they have the complete list of materials requested by teachers. For Carrefour, the last week of August represents nearly 20% of back-to-school supply sales, and the first two weeks of September account for over 10%. Traditionally, a significant portion of sales occurs after the disbursement of the back-to-school grant, which was awarded on August 20 to three million families, subject to income conditions. It was increased by 4.5% compared to 2023. At the same time, the cost of a school supplies basket for a sixth-grade student dropped by 1.27% compared to 2023, marking a departure from several years of increases.
According to the association Familles de France, the decrease in the cost of school supplies is modest but significant, especially considering the previous years of price hikes. The cost decrease can be attributed to the slowdown in inflation since the beginning of 2024. The online price comparison of 135 products conducted by Que choisir magazine at the beginning of July confirmed this trend with a 1% decrease compared to July 2023. However, with the cost of living remaining high, finding good deals on school supplies is a top priority for many families. Despite the decrease in prices, the cost of back-to-school items is still higher than before the pandemic, highlighting the ongoing impact of the crisis on consumer wallets.
Overall, the back-to-school market in 2024 has been influenced by external factors such as the early legislative elections and the Paris Olympics, which have disrupted the usual patterns of consumer behavior. School supplies sales saw fluctuations in July, with a strong start followed by a calmer end to the month. The shift in purchasing towards August and early September has become more prominent in recent years as families prefer to shop after receiving the full list of required materials. The back-to-school grant, awarded to millions of families, has been increased this year, providing some financial relief to families facing the rising cost of school supplies. Despite the decrease in prices for school items, families are still prioritizing finding the best deals to manage the overall high cost of living.
