Parents adjust budget to return to classes: What do you spend more and what are prices?

The beginning of the 2025 school year is accompanied by a significant expense for Peruvian families. According to a citizen study of Activa Research, the Average Son -Age Disbursement ascends to S/1.124a figure that for 56.9% of respondents is higher than the previous year.

This increase highlights the effects of inflation and economic uncertainty, forcing parents to prioritize the price on other factors when making their purchases.

What do Peruvians spend for the school campaign?

The main spending is used for basic school supplies (87.7%) and uniforms (73.2%), followed by shoes (66.9%), backpacks (54.9%), didactic materials (52%) and lunchboards (44.4%). However, the budget distribution varies according to the socioeconomic level (NSE). While in the NSE D the average expenditure is S/730, in the NSE A reaches S/1,452, reflecting differences in purchasing capacity and consumption habits.

In this context, the search for products that meet the premise of “Well beautiful and cheap“It’s key. 41.6% of respondents prioritize the price, 28.3% quality and 21.1% durability. Only a small percentage consider the brand (5.6%) or follow the recommendations of educational institutions (3.4%).

Gamarra and Round Table: opposite prices and perspectives

Faced with this panorama, the merchants of Gamarra and Round table They seek to capture the demand with competitive offers. Susana Saldaña, president of the Gamarra Peru Entrepreneurs Association, explained that prices in the textile emporium start from:

• S/5 for a pair of stockings or three underwear garments
• S/6 for sports poles
• S/8 for shorts
• S/10 for blouses, shirts and caps
• S/15 for skirts
• S/18 for pants
• S/25 for backpacks
• S/30 for divers
• S/35 for jackets, shoes and shoes.

Pablo Goytizolo, spokesman for the Round Table Entrepreneurs, estimated that sales in this campaign will be 40% higher than those of 2024. However, Saldaña questioned this projection, arguing that the economic context does not support such high growth.

In Gamarra, the recovery of the sector is still in process, with approximately 3,500 MYPES participating in the school campaign and hoping to recover at least 60% of its levels of sale prior to the pandemic.

Strategies to relieve spending and energize the sector

To deal with the costs of return to classes, specialists in economics and finance suggest various strategies. Hilario Chong Shing, author of the Active Research study, points out the need to implement financing mechanisms that allow consumers to access higher quality products without compromising their financial stability.

Among the recommended measures are:

• Interestless credits and installments: facilitate fractional payments to relieve financial load.
• Discounts for early purchase: Encourage prior acquisitions to the high season.
• Loyalty programs: Offer benefits to recurring customers.
• Promotional packages: Combine essential products with lower demand articles at affordable prices.
• Alliances with educational institutions: Coordinate with colleges payment plans for the purchase of tools and uniforms.

Jorge Carrillo Acosta, Finance expert from Pacific Business School, highlights that the choice between quality and price depends on the type of product. In uniforms, he recommends prioritizing durability, while in backpacks and lunchboxes, the decision must consider that children change their tastes quickly.

Purchase channels: The face -to -face continues to dominate

The study also indicates that, despite the growth of electronic commerce, 84.2% of parents continue to prefer physical stores to acquire school supplies. Sergio Giannotti, Marketing Manager of Mercado Liber %).

Despite this, Free market He reported a 30% growth in 2024 and projects a greater increase this year, driven by consumption revival. However, confidence in the face -to -face purchase, where parents can evaluate the quality of the products, remains decisive.