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2w ago

Parents Rush Back-to-School Sales to Sidestep August Tariffs

Target is holding prices on core supplies, launching pre-tariff promotions to ease budget pressures.

School supplies, pens and markers on display at a Walmart in Denver, North Carolina, on July 8.
People are shopping for back-to-school supplies earlier than ever, according to the National Retail Federation. Two-thirds of families started by early July, up from 55% a year ago and the highest by far in tracking that goes back to 2018. (MCCLATCHEY-TRIBUNE/FILE)
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Overview

  • Two-thirds of parents have already started back-to-school shopping, the earliest on record, according to the National Retail Federation.
  • Forty-four percent of parents plan to go into debt this year to cover school supply costs, up from 34% in 2024, Intuit Credit Karma finds.
  • Families intend to spend about $858 per K-12 student on supplies this year, down from $875 last year, with total K-12 outlays near $39.4 billion.
  • More than 75% of parents say they will switch brands if prices rise and over half are cutting nonessential purchases to stretch their budgets.
  • Economists warn that once retailers deplete pre-tariff inventory in the coming weeks, higher duties taking effect on August 1 will drive up prices.