US families start early back-to-school shopping amid higher living costs

US back-to-school spending early retailer promotions higher household costs online shopping shift PwC spend estimate

American families are beginning back-to‑school purchases earlier this year as retailers such as Amazon, Walmart, Target and Best Buy roll out summer promotions. The shift reflects tighter household budgets caused by rising food and gas prices, with shoppers seeking discounts on backpacks, electronics and other school essentials.

PwC estimates average family spending will reach about $922, roughly 47 % higher than in 2025, partly due to price pressures linked to the Iran war. The back‑to‑school period accounts for about 2.3 % of total US retail sales, or $128.2 billion in 2025. About 61 % of households say children will add items to online carts after seeing them on social media, accelerating the move to digital shopping.

“With the kind of higher gas prices and higher food prices, I am definitely more aware of how I am going to spend my money heading toward back‑to‑school,” said Julie Kelley, founder of a media consulting firm in Vermont.

Sources

Back-to-school shopping starts early as retailers launch July sales [thesheffieldpress.com]

24 days ago

Analysis-US back-to-school bargain hunt starts early as higher bills pressure families [kelo.com]

25 days ago

Analysis-US back-to-school bargain hunt starts early as higher bills pressure families [kfgo.com]

25 days ago