Back-to-School spending to dip 6% amid economic worries, Deloitte forecasts

July 9 (Reuters) - Back-to-school spending among ‌U.S. households ​with school-age ​children is expected to decline about 6% this year on an inflation-adjusted basis, as consumer sentiment weakens amid rising economic uncertainty, ‌according to a Deloitte survey released on Thursday.

Here are some key ⁠details:

• Total spending is projected at $30.4 billion, or $557 per K-12 student on average, down from $570 ‌per student last year, the ‌consulting firm said. The survey found that 57% of consumers expect the economy to worsen over the next six months, the highest share since ​2020.

• Families are expected to prioritize necessities such as clothing while cutting back on technology purchases, Deloitte said. About half of households surveyed plan ⁠to reduce spending on dining out and entertainment to make room in their budgets for school-related purchases.

• ​Deloitte also found that families are delaying back-to-school purchases until closer to the start of the school year, a trend that ​contrasts with other forecasts suggesting shoppers are ‌starting earlier this summer.

• Still, value-seeking does not necessarily translate into lower spending, according to the survey. About a third ⁠of K-12 parents qualify as "hyper value-seekers," yet that group is expected to spend 14% more than other shoppers, Deloitte said.

• "We see parents approach back-to-school shopping with intent. They ⁠tend to be more thoughtful about their spending and value-seeking strategies to help maximize their ​wallets," said Brian McCarthy, principal of retail strategy at Deloitte Consulting.

• PwC has forecast that families will spend about $922 on average on back-to-school shopping this year, up roughly 47% ‌from 2025.

• The back-to-school season typically accounts for about 2.3% of total annual U.S. retail sales, with $128.2 billion spent in ‌2025, according to the National Retail Federation.

• The Deloitte survey was conducted online using ⁠an independent research panel between ‌May 22 and May ​29, and included 1,207 parents with at least one child in grades K-12.

(Reporting by Neil J Kanatt in Bengaluru; Editing by ‌Tasim Zahid)

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