11.3% increase in the cost of school supplies for the start of the 2023 school year

Inflation causes an 11.3% increase in the cost of school supplies at the beginning of the school year, compared to the previous year, according to a survey conducted by the Family Union Confederation (CSF), published this Wednesday. This figure is quite close to 10% inflation. observed by the UFC Que Choisir between July 2022 and July 2023.

According to the survey carried out on 109 CSF member households, the average cost of a complete list of supplies at the beginning of the 2023 academic year for a primary school student amounts to 233 euros compared to 190 euros in 2022 (+23%). 371 euros for a university student (+3.5%) and 427 euros for a high school student (+3.1%).

+25% for stationery

Clothing and sports equipment represent the most affected expense items with an increase of 12%, while the cost of stationery increased by 25%, according to the CSF report.

To compensate for this increase, families often choose to reuse school supplies from previous years. “36% of school supplies in primary courses are reused,” says Annie Giroud, head of the CSF’s education sector.

Les montants de l’ARS (Allocation de rentrée scolaire) qui ont été revalued by 5.6% par rapport à l’année dernière, ne seraient pas suffisants selon la CSF pour couvrir les coûts lies à la scolarité all au long de l’ school year.

“Families will have to spend between 900 euros and 1,700 euros on average for the schooling of a child,” says the report.

A revaluation of the ARS considered insufficient

Let’s remember that the back-to-school bonus (ARS) is paid subject to income conditions from this Wednesday to 3 million families.

Revalued in summer by 5.6% compared to 2022, the ARS amounts this year to 398.09 euros for children from 6 to 10 years old, 420.05 euros for children from 11 to 14 years old and 434.61 euros for adolescents from 15 to 18 years.

However, this revaluation is considered insufficient precisely because of this double-digit inflation in the price of supplies.

Olivia Grégoire, Delegate Minister of Commerce, asked the DGCCRF to investigate these price increases. Fraud enforcement will report the findings of its investigation at the start of the school year.