US DATA: ICSC report on back-to-school shopping says the season has
“already gotten underway with one-third of households reporting that
they have begun to shop, according to a special ICSC-Goldman Sachs
consumer tracking survey. Although the season has officially begun, the
majority of expected spending will be done in August as 65% of
households reported that is when they will commence back-to-school
shopping. The average household expenditure on all types of
back-to-school items will be about $300 this year, which will be an
increase over last year for 42% of those surveyed. Forty-four percent
plan to spend the same amount as last year, while only 14% indicated
they would spend less. Of the 42% of consumers that plan to increase
spending, nearly half indicated that it was due to a need to replace
wardrobes and school supplies.”