Up to 160 percent – parents have to pay more for school supplies again

The current AK price monitor* shows how expensive it is to start school life. The prizes for 49 school supplies that most first-graders need have been collected. In principle, the prices for the examined products in the paper trade are on average 15.3 percent more expensive than in the large retail chains. But four of the 49 products were on average up to 40.7 percent cheaper in the paper trade; such as Jolly Opaque White (7.5 ml).

School supplies are 4.6 percent more expensive than in 2021
Compared to the previous year, the school supplies examined in the retail chains have increased in price by an average of 4.6 percent and by an average of seven percent more in the paper trade. The price differences between the retail chains for one and the same brand product amount to 81.7 percent.

The Pelikan fountain pen (nib M) costs between EUR 11.00 (Interspar) and EUR 19.99 (Thalia). Depending on the retailer, the Uhu all-purpose glue (35 g) costs between 1.75 euros (Müller) and 2.99 euros (Interspar). That is a price difference of 70.9 percent.

The price differences between the paper shops for one and the same branded product amount to 163.3 percent. The Jolly pencils no. 2 HB (twelve pieces) cost between 3.60 and 9.48 euros, depending on the specialty store. The UHU Stic glue stick (21 g) costs between 1.49 and 3.90 euros. That is a price difference of 161.7 percent.

Price differences depending on the quality partly utopian high
Some school supplies — such as hair brushes — vary in quality depending on the stationery store. “The price differences are of course much larger here, up to about 829 percent,” says AK expert Manuela Delapina. “Quality differences play an important role in these products.” The price differences for satchel sets are also very large. “Depending on the content and quality, these will cost between 50 and 300 euros this year.”

AK Tips for Back to School Shopping

• Watch out for them quality of the products – especially on sustainability. Cheap felt-tip pens, for example, dry out much faster! Cheap ink erasers do not completely erase the ink. Cheap stains with a high water content have fewer color pigments and often give an unsatisfactory color result. By buying more sustainable (more sustainable) products, you can ultimately save money. However, caution is advised with prestige branded products. There are also not so well known branded products whose quality is also very good and which are not that expensive.
• To elect environmentally friendly products such as refillable water-based markers, notebooks with recycled paper or pencils without varnish on the wooden shaft. Information on environmentally friendly products can be found at schulinkauf.at.
• Bee Fountain pen the spring quality and the design of the shaft (grip recesses) are very important! It is advisable to try out how the fountain pen fits in the hand before purchasing. Most paper shops offer free fountain pen proof writing.
• Bee colored pencils the mines must be at least four millimeters thick.
• school bags must meet the following requirements: precise fit, orthopedic back part (tested according to DIN 58124), it must adapt to the spine (every body is different), the back part must be completely padded, high stability when packing, strong, tear – resistant material, waterproof, wear resistance, signal-effective detectability. In addition, the school bag must have a suitable place for the school snack – especially if the child does not attend primary school all day. The packed school bag of a primary school child should not weigh more than one tenth of the body weight. The empty school bag must not weigh more than 1200 grams.
• You can often do yours too shopping list Return it to the store and collect the goods after one to two hours!
• As part of the promotion “Ready to go to school!” Vouchers worth 80 euros are distributed by Volkshilfe Solidarity and its partners to students in households with a minimum income, social assistance or social support. These vouchers can be used to purchase school supplies in all LIBRO and PAGRO DISKONT locations throughout Austria. All information about the campaign can be found at schulstartklar.at.
• school start money is available in Austria every September for an amount of 100 euros for every child between 6 and 15 years old as part of the child benefit. The school start allowance is paid automatically with the child benefit in September.
• In the Carla stores from Caritas Vienna (1050, Mittersteig 10 and 1210 Vienna, Steinheilgasse 3) and at the social market SOS-Ballon (1050, Schönbrunner Straße 75) you can buy cheap school supplies.
• the foundation “Learn.Enable.Make” Volkshilfe Austria supports families living below the poverty line (according to EU-SILC data) all year round with education-related costs (school materials, excursions, laptop, private lessons, but also sports and language courses, etc.).

*Prices in 16 specialty paper stores and five retail chains (Pagro, Libro, Thalia, Interspar, Müller) in Vienna were compared.