Back-to-school shopping gets expensive fast. But the biggest strain comes from the items parents cannot skip. It’s the cost of the basics.
Whether it’s notebooks, backpacks and pencils in the US or school uniforms in the UK, the essentials are adding up. And it’s those everyday items that parents most want to see become more affordable.
We asked 1,000 verified parents and guardians buying for a school-age child this year, 500 in the US [1] and 500 in the UK [2], how they’re planning, spending and coping with the cost. We got the results in less than an hour. Here’s what parents told us.
Quick snapshot:
- Timing: Around 2 in 5 parents in both countries shop one to two months before school starts: 37% in the US and 40% in the UK.
- Offers: Just over 1 in 3 parents in both markets are most drawn to low prices on basic items, at 36% in each country.
- Affordability: Cost came out on top in both markets. Nearly 1 in 5 US parents said schools should do more to keep costs down, while 1 in 3 UK parents said school uniform should be affordable for every family.
How much are parents planning to spend on back-to-school shopping?
US parents expect to spend an average of $352.29 on back-to-school items for one child this year.
UK parents expect to spend an average of £229.98 per child.
That matters at a time when consumer confidence remains weak in both countries. In the US, The Conference Board reported only a small rise in confidence in June 2026 [3]. In the UK, GfK’s Consumer Confidence Index remained at -23 [4].
How early does back-to-school shopping begin?
Most parents are getting started long before term begins.
In the US, 29% begin shopping more than two months before school starts. Another 37% shop one to two months before, while 25% wait until the final two to three weeks. Only 7% leave it until the week before.
The UK follows a similar pattern. Around 25% start more than two months ahead, 40% shop one to two months before and 29% begin two to three weeks before term starts. Almost nobody waits until the final week.
In both countries, the real back-to-school rush starts one to two months before the school gates open. Brands waiting until late summer may already be behind.
Where are parents choosing to shop?
We asked both groups to rank where they prefer to shop for back-to-school.
US parents rank their preferred stores:
- Mass market stores (Walmart, Target)
- Online stores (Amazon, Shein)
- Warehouse clubs (Costco, Sam’s Club)
- School and stationery stores (Staples, Office Depot)
- Department stores (Macy’s, Kohl’s)
UK parents rank their preferred stores:
- Supermarkets (Tesco, Asda)
- School-approved uniform suppliers
- Discount clothing stores (Matalan, Primark)
- Clothing and department stores (Next, John Lewis)
- Online shops and marketplaces (Amazon, eBay)
The shopping mission looks different on each side of the Atlantic. American parents are far more likely to head online, while British parents are more likely to shop in person.
Which back-to-school deals catch attention?
We asked parents which types of offers would be most likely to catch their attention.
US parents were most drawn to:
- Very low prices on basic school items
- Big discounts on name brands
- Coupons or percent-off offers
In the UK, where uniform takes up much of the shopping list, the offers that stood out most were:
- Low prices on basic uniform items
- Multi-buy offers on shirts, trousers or skirts
- Discounts on school shoes
Across both countries, parents are sending the same message: keep the basics affordable.
What is worrying parents most this back-to-school season?
In the US, the pressure is spread across the full shopping list. Nearly 1 in 5 parents say schools should do more to keep costs down, with 19% choosing this as a top concern. Another 18% say back-to-school shopping has simply become too expensive.
There is a social side too. Around 16% worry their child could feel left out without the right items, while 15% feel pressure to buy popular brands. Similarly, 15% say they would rather shop second-hand than struggle to keep up.
In the UK, where uniforms are a much bigger part of the story.
1 in 3 parents say school uniform should be affordable for every family. It was the strongest result across both surveys.
Branded uniform costs are a big worry for parents. More than 1 in 4 say branded items put too much pressure on family budgets. Another 17% think schools should not require them at all, while 12% would rather buy second-hand than struggle to afford new uniform.
The bigger story is affordability. The US and UK have different back-to-school shopping habits, but the clearest point of agreement is price.
Parents are planning early and choosing retailers with value in mind. Free gifts and complicated promotions are not the priority. What they want is straightforward savings, especially lower prices on basic items.
The pressure lands differently in each market. American parents are thinking about the cost of the wider shopping list, while British parents are more focused on uniform. But both groups are asking for the same thing: make the essentials more affordable.
We gathered these insights from 1,000 consumers in less than an hour.
Ask your questions.
Put your questions to thousands of real people who actively enjoy sharing their opinions, and see how quickly real-time insight can shape smarter brand decisions.
Whether you’re testing a campaign, checking brand recall, or tracking changing consumer behavior, you shouldn’t have to wait weeks for answers.
Sign up with your work email and send your survey (Pulse) for free today.
Sources:
- OnePulse. “Back-to-school spending in the US.” https://client.onepulse.com/share/pulse/nlQ0gKMATDPpCMgpdTKO?client=true
- OnePulse. “Back-to-school spending in the UK.” https://client.onepulse.com/share/pulse/WMAfjQkvjfL6Ff262uAB?client=true
- The Conference Board. “Consumer Confidence Index – June 2026.” https://www.conference-board.org/topics/consumer-confidence/
- NielsenIQ. “Consumer confidence stays at -23 in June.” https://nielseniq.com/global/en/news-center/2026/consumer-confidence-stay-at-23-in-june/
