Back-to-school supplies prices rise, families shift to second‑hand market

Large‑scale retailers in France report an average 2 % increase in school‑supplies prices compared with July 2025, while a sharper 10 % jump is seen in September as low‑priced items disappear from shelves. About 70 % of back‑to‑school purchases are still made in supermarkets, prompting consumer groups to advise shoppers to buy early in the summer when stock is fullest. Budget pressure is prompting a notable shift toward second‑hand platforms: a recent survey shows 29 % of parents buying supplies on sites such as leboncoin, up 11 percentage points from the previous year, with a surge in listings from mid‑June to early September. In Burkina Faso, the Allocation de rentrée scolaire arrives in mid‑August after July promotions have ended and prices have risen, making delayed purchases less economical. Early buying or using second‑hand options is recommended to mitigate higher costs.