BTS (back-to-school) is the second-largest retail event of the year, behind only the winter holiday shopping season. Total back to school shopping (including both grade school and college) resulted in close to $68 billion in sales in 2015. Mintel survey data indicate that parents view back to school as basically an essential, rather than just a discretionary purchase. Accordingly, it’s a great opportunity for retailers to bring consumers into stores to purchase everything from pens and notebooks to new clothes and new devices.

However, growth has been stagnant in this category in recent years, and parents seem eager to take advantage of savings opportunities like tax free weekends, price match programs and shopping in dollar stores. This trend may be due in part to an uncertain economy that has made parents reluctant to spend big after some more extravagant spending shortly after the end of the recession. The increasing focus on digital textbooks and tools may also be lessening the need to purchase some supplies. In this report, Mintel looks at trends in the back-to-school shopping space and identifies potential opportunities for growth.

For the purposes of this Report, Mintel has used the following definitions:

This report defines back-to-school shopping as any shopping done in preparation for a school term. This may include clothing and accessories, pens, pencils, paper, electronics, and other items consumers purchase specifically for school. This includes shopping for children in grades K-12 as well as shopping for college students and college students who shopped for themselves.

This report builds on the analysis presented in Mintel’s Back to School Shopping – US, January 2015, Back-to-School Shopping – US, January 2014, January 2013, January 2012 and June 2011.