Solar supply costs at major retailers and specialized stores, as reported in a study, for July 2025
In July 2025, the school supplies market saw a significant boost, with French consumers purchasing 9.1% more items in volume and 5.2% more in turnover compared to the same month in 2024. This surge can be attributed to the approaching new school year and the need for essential school supplies.
According to Nielsen IQ, 84.7% of these volumes and 77.2% of the turnover came from supermarkets. However, the prices of school supplies have seen a decrease in these large retailers, with prices down by 3.4% compared to July 2024.
In specialized stores, the story is slightly different. Prices have dropped by 6.2%, and there has been a notable increase in the sales of refills, up by 37.7%. Ballpoint pens, in particular, have seen a sales increase of 30.6%. Interestingly, rollerball pens are the most popular in specialized stores, with a 58.3% increase in sales compared to July 2024.
However, a recent statement by UFC-Que Choisir suggests a different picture. They reported a 2% price increase in school supplies in July 2025 compared to 2024. The discrepancy between Nielsen IQ's report and UFC-Que Choisir's statement can be attributed to several factors, including data collection methods, retailer variability, geographic focus, product selection, and the time frame of data collection.
Three out of four school supplies sold in July 2025 were from major brands, due to the best quality-price ratio. In supermarkets, punched pockets, sorters, and pencils have seen sales increases of 21.5% to 15% in July 2025 compared to the previous year.
The back-to-school allowance, which ranges from 423 euros for a child aged 6 to 10 to 462 euros for an adolescent aged 15 to 18, subject to income conditions, will be paid on August 19 to nearly 3 million families. It is advised that families avoid making purchases at the start of the school year, when prices are at their highest, and instead wait for promotional operations around mid-August.
The turnover of the school supplies sector in July 2025 was 131 million euros, but the back-to-school allowance payments do not repeat the earlier mentioned July sales figures or the price variations reported by Nielsen IQ. The Association of Paper and Office Products Industries predicts no significant variations in the price index between the first and last weeks of the summer.
- Despite the decrease in prices of school supplies in large retailers, a recent report by UFC-Que Choisir suggests a 2% price increase for school supplies in July 2025 compared to 2024.
- In contrast to the school supplies market, the personal-finance sector in France has experienced varied trends, with the back-to-school allowance increasing by ranges from 423 euros for a child aged 6 to 10 to 462 euros for an adolescent aged 15 to 18, subject to income conditions.
