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Cartridge People Conducts Back-to-School Survey with YouGov
Ahead of the new academic year, we wanted to find out how parents feel about back-to-school shopping. So we commissioned a survey by YouGov, which revealed the emotional and financial burden parents of school-age children face.
Majority of Parents Say Back-to-School Shopping is Stressful
Our survey revealed that 70% of parents of children aged 18 and below who go to school say the hassle of back-to-school shopping will be a source of stress and 75% say the cost of back-to-school supplies are likely to be a stressor this year. With most parents worrying about preparing their child for a new school year, there’s a clear need to make this process more simple.
How Early Is Too Early?
When do parents start to shop for their children?
One third of respondents (34%) reported leaving it shortly before the new school term starts, making this the most popular time. In contrast however, 11% start shopping before the final term of the current academic year has ended. This suggests that while most parents want to put off this daunting task for as long as possible, a small percentage want to be prepared ahead of the new term. This could also be because parents are trying to spread the cost or are looking to avoid seasonal mark-ups by leaving it too late.
| Q1: When, if at all, do you/your family usually start your back-to-school shopping? | Total | Gender | Age | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | Female | 25–34 | 35–44 | 45–54 | 55+ | ||
| Prior to the final academic term ending | 11% | 9% | 13% | 10% | 11% | 7% | 9% |
| After the final term finishes (i.e. in July) | 21% | 24% | 18% | 25% | 27% | 14% | 10% |
| Early to mid-August | 26% | 23% | 30% | 25% | 28% | 27% | 25% |
| Late August to early September (shortly before the new school term starts) | 34% | 34% | 34% | 35% | 26% | 42% | 46% |
| Other | 4% | 4% | 3% | 2% | 3% | 5% | 6% |
| Don’t know | 4% | 6% | 2% | 2% | 4% | 5% | 4% |
Online vs In-Store
Did our survey respondents prefer online or in-store shopping?
Well, the answer is both! 43% of parents visit a mixture of online and in-store retailers to complete their back-to-school shopping. Our survey shows that parents prioritise convenience, buying products from the best place for them on a case-by-case basis. People may also be driven by sales and discounts, making them more likely to shop around, which could be time-consuming. Interestingly, 30% bought back-to-school products from the supermarket (perhaps during the weekly shop).
| Q2: At which place, do you/your family do most of your back-to-school stationery shopping? | Total | Gender | Age | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | Female | 25–34 | 35–44 | 45–54 | 55+ | ||
| In-store specialist stationery retailer | 10% | 10% | 10% | 12% | 7% | 9% | 16% |
| Supermarket | 30% | 28% | 32% | 30% | 31% | 30% | 35% |
| Online retailer | 6% | 7% | 5% | 8% | 3% | 10% | 5% |
| A mix of online and in-store | 43% | 45% | 40% | 33% | 46% | 44% | 34% |
| Don’t know | 3% | 5% | 2% | 1% | 3% | 3% | 7% |
| Not applicable – my child(ren) does not yet require stationery in school | 8% | 4% | 11% | 15% | 9% | 4% | 3% |
What’s on the Checklist?
We also asked parents which specific items they purchased for their children at least once a year. Items replaced most frequently included water bottles (56%) and pens/ pencils (53%). Parents have to source a wide range of items for their kids year round, not just when a new academic year approaches. You can buy stationery from us in bulk, so you’ll have a steady supply on hand when things get used up (or lost!)
| Q3: Which, if any, of the following items do you/your family tend to replace at least once a year? | Total | Gender | Age | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | Female | 25–34 | 35–44 | 45–54 | 55+ | ||
| Pens/pencils | 53% | 54% | 51% | 41% | 52% | 58% | 59% |
| Erasers | 33% | 37% | 27% | 29% | 34% | 31% | 26% |
| Pencil Cases | 34% | 36% | 32% | 31% | 37% | 34% | 26% |
| School bag | 45% | 48% | 41% | 46% | 47% | 43% | 35% |
| Water bottle | 56% | 58% | 54% | 56% | 60% | 55% | 47% |
| Notebooks | 34% | 40% | 28% | 32% | 33% | 33% | 38% |
| Pencil sharpeners | 25% | 30% | 21% | 22% | 30% | 20% | 15% |
| Uniform items (i.e. shoes, polo shirts, jumpers etc.) | 68% | 67% | 69% | 62% | 71% | 71% | 58% |
| Other | 2% | 1% | 3% | – | 1% | 3% | 7% |
| Don’t know | 3% | 5% | 0% | 1% | 3% | 3% | 3% |
| Not applicable – we do not replace any of these items annually | 4% | 4% | 4% | 5% | 3% | 3% | 9% |
| Not applicable – my child does not yet require stationery in school | 8% | 4% | 11% | 15% | 9% | 4% | 3% |
The Cost of Back-to-School
How much does it cost to prepare your child for a new school term? On average, parents spend £152 per child annually on back-to-school shopping. Notably, we found this number didn’t seem to drastically change depending on how many children parents are shopping for or their location.
| Q4: Roughly how much, do you or your family spend each year per child on back-to-school shopping (including uniform if applicable)? | Total | Gender | Age | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | Female | 25–34 | 35–44 | 45–54 | 55+ | ||
| Below £50 | 11% | 10% | 13% | 10% | 11% | 10% | 23% |
| £51 to £100 | 27% | 26% | 29% | 20% | 26% | 34% | 15% |
| £101 to £200 | 34% | 35% | 33% | 34% | 39% | 30% | 31% |
| £201 to £300 | 12% | 11% | 13% | 14% | 11% | 12% | 11% |
| £301 to £400 | 5% | 4% | 5% | 6% | 4% | 4% | 6% |
| £401 to £500 | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 2% | 4% | 3% |
| £501 to £750 | 1% | 1% | – | 4% | 0% | – | – |
| £751 to £1000 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 1% | 0% | – | – |
| Above £1000 | 0% | 0% | – | – | 0% | – | – |
| Don’t know | 6% | 9% | 4% | 7% | 6% | 6% | 10% |
The Stress of This Cost
As mentioned earlier, 75% of parents say back-to-school costs are likely to be a source of stress this year. Contrastingly, just under a quarter of respondents (24%) said they weren’t stressed at all about back-to-school costs, with parents over 55 being the least worried (62%).
| Q5: To what extent, if at all, do you think back-to-school costs are likely to be a source of stress this year for you/your family? | Total | Gender | Age | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | Female | 25–34 | 35–44 | 45–54 | 55+ | ||
| A great deal – it’s a major source of stress | 16% | 15% | 17% | 16% | 16% | 16% | 10% |
| Moderate – it’s a source of stress | 32% | 31% | 34% | 42% | 30% | 30% | 25% |
| A little – it’s a mild concern | 26% | 22% | 31% | 26% | 22% | 35% | 27% |
| Not at all – it’s not a concern | 24% | 30% | 18% | 15% | 31% | 18% | 38% |
| Don’t know | 1% | 2% | 1% | 1% | 2% | 1% | – |
| Net: Source of stress | 75% | 68% | 81% | 84% | 68% | 81% | 62% |
The Stress of Back-to-School Shopping
Surprisingly, parents in London don’t seem to worry about the back-to-school shopping experience, with 55% saying they weren’t stressed at all. Perhaps the wide range of retailers available locally to them makes the process easier. Those up north were slightly more likely to be stressed by the back-to-school shopping experience than those in the south (77% vs 74%), again perhaps due to lack of access to a wide enough variety of retailers or transport.
With 70% of survey respondents saying the hassle of back-to-school shopping is a source of stress, and 11% of these saying it’s an extremely stressful process, there’s certainly a need to make it easier.
| Q6: In general, how stressful do you/your family find the back-to-school shopping experience (e.g. the act of sourcing and buying items aside from the cost)? | Total | Gender | Age | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | Female | 25–34 | 35–44 | 45–54 | 55+ | ||
| A great deal – it’s an extremely stressful experience | 11% | 12% | 11% | 14% | 11% | 11% | 7% |
| Moderate – it’s a stressful experience | 24% | 20% | 29% | 25% | 23% | 25% | 16% |
| A little – it’s a mildly stressful experience | 34% | 32% | 36% | 39% | 32% | 35% | 34% |
| Not at all – it’s not a stressful experience | 27% | 31% | 23% | 20% | 30% | 26% | 38% |
| Don’t know | 3% | 5% | 2% | 2% | 3% | 3% | 4% |
| Net: Source of stress | 70% | 64% | 75% | 78% | 67% | 71% | 57% |
Back-to-School at Cartridge People
But what can parents do to ease this annual worry? One solution is to shop our affordable range of stationery, which now includes over 15,000 stationery items, meaning you can complete your back-to-school checklist in one go. This expanded product offering is affordable and easy to shop!
The ever increasing list of items children need for the new term is no match for our stationery range. Whether it’s notebooks, pens, pencils or pencil cases, Cartridge People has what your family needs to get ready for the next school term! Items can also be bought in bulk, so you’ll have enough supplies for the whole year. And with fast delivery on all our high-quality back-to-school stationery, there’s no need to worry if you’ve left it until the last minute.
To Sum Up
This data proves just how stressful the process of back-to-school shopping can be, both in terms of cost and the shopping experience itself. Our one-stop stationery range provides a budget-friendly, hassle-free place to buy all the stationery you need.
All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 836 UK Parents of children aged 18 and below who go to school. Fieldwork was undertaken between 1st – 3rd July 2025. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+).
Office Supplies from Cartridge People
At Cartridge People, we carry an incredibly varied amount of office products – everything from tea and coffee to dollies and skates. Our bread and butter, however, is toner and ink products. We are the largest provider of printing products in the UK. So, whether you’re looking for Xerox printer cartridges, Canon ink or ink cartridges for Epson printers, you’ll find what you’re looking for at Cartridge People.
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