2023-08-16 11:08:33
For a year and a half, the galloping inflation, in all sectors of the economy, offers no respite to the budget of the French. And when you return from vacation, the start of the school year will be nothing like a breath of fresh air for family finances.
They will have to face an increase in the cost of schooling of 11.3% on average compared to last year, according to the annual study of the trade union confederation of families (CSF), carried out among 109 member households and published this Wednesday, August 16, the day of payment of the back-to-school allowance (ARS). In detail, the list of supplies costs 233 euros for a primary school student, compared to 190 euros in 2022 (+ 23%), 371 euros for a college student (+ 3.5%) and 427 euros for a high school student (+ 3, 1%).
The amounts of the ARS have been revalued by 5.6% compared to the premium paid in the summer of 2022, including +1.5% in April 2023. “It is largely insufficient when inflation is 4, 6% over one year and exceeds 10% on supplies, regrets Johan Jousseaume, confederal secretary in charge of education at the CSF. All families, including those from the middle class, pay the heavy price of inflation. »
The association of stationery and office industries (AIPB) itself confirms inflation of between “8.9% and 10.6% at the end of July depending on the distribution networks”, according to its president Nadège. Helary. According to GFK Market Intelligence data, the inflation in prices concerns all product families with, however, a greater increase in the paper universe (from + 13.5% to + 16.3%, depending on the brands) than for adhesives and glues (+3.1%). At Auchan, for example, the set of five small Clairefontaine Koverbook notebooks sells for 15.99 euros, and 8.55 euros for the set of nine UHU glues.
Falling purchases
“Last year, the sector was rather spared from inflation because the purchases of products found on the shelves had been negotiated upstream, six to eight months earlier. There, it’s the opposite, the negotiations were concluded for example when the ton of paper pulp was at its highest, it increased by 80% compared to 2020! explains Nadège Helary.
Faced with the surge in these expenses, added to those of fuel and food prices, families arbitrate and buy less. Between the end of June and the end of July, the French spent 139.4 million euros on school supplies for a total of 41.4 million items purchased. That is a decrease of -3.9% and -12.4% respectively compared to the same period of 2022, according to data from GFK Market intelligence.
“But be careful, this takes into account the week when there were the riots. And it works, because there are often many parents who do their back-to-school shopping before going on vacation. There, they could not, observes Nadège Helary. But we are in a basic trend. From one year to the next, households sort more. »
Adrien Peyroles, General Manager of Bureau Vallée confirms: “Families are very careful, come with lists where products have already been crossed out and reuse supplies purchased in previous years, such as pencil cases, rulers or notebooks. With us, the average basket was 35 euros, down 6.5%. A trend also revealed by the study of the trade union confederation of families with an average amount of actual expenses lower than that of the cost of the list. “Families avoid superfluous purchases and reuse all small equipment such as compasses, squares, rulers… They keep around a third of the supplies from one year to the next”, maintains Johan Jousseaume.
Large retailers compete with offers
When they have no choice but to buy new, families turn, above all, to good deals and discounts, the only means then of reducing the bill. Bureau Vallée, for example, has tripled its recovery of binders and calculators. The “promotional weight” on sales has increased by 30% compared to 2022. While 145,000 families have, in particular, benefited from the two “100% reimbursed” operations, the specialized channel will offer, from August 21 to September 2, supplies “at cost”.
At the height of summer, supermarkets also compete with offers, each more advantageous than the other, in order to attract families and, if possible, capture new customers. “Households can count on the dynamics linked to competition between brands which should come out with aggressive prices to attract consumers”, supports Thierry Cotillard, president of the group Les Mousquetaires (Intermarché, Netto, etc.). He himself has reviewed his offer: “We have added school supplies to our anti-inflation basket. They will be offered almost at cost price, ”he boasts.
For its part, Carrefour sells the eighteen BIC color markers at 1.95 euros with 70% loyalty discount or six highlighters at 4.15 euros with 50% jackpot, while Casino puts on the four Tipex “correction tapes” at 5.24 euros, against 6.99 euros normally. “If you only use the good plans, concludes Adrien Peyroles, you can hope to buy as much, with the same budget as last year. »
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