PwC: Back-to-school spending showing resilience with consumers not holding back
Despite growing economic pressure, American parents are showing determination to maintain — or even increase — back-to-school spending this year.
Nearly three-in-four back-to-school shoppers expect to spend the same or more on back-to-school shopping this fall, offering little indication that inflationary fatigue is curbing demand, according to PwC’s latest consumer survey. More than one-in-three parents anticipate spending more than they did in 2024.
“This spending resilience suggests that retailers who manage inventory effectively and communicate value clearly will likely outperform during this important retail season,” PwC stated.
While a mid-May “export rush” from China following a 90-day tariff rollback may create uneven inventory availability, many retailers should recover before peak back-to-school shopping season, the company advised.
The survey was released amid mounting economic uncertainty and as U.S. tariffs drive up prices on imported goods such as electronics and apparel. The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index decreased in June amid job market and economic worries.
In terms of spending priorities, technology leads the way. One-in-four parents (25%) plan to spend more than $500 on technology. On the other hand, 42% expect to pay under $50. The second biggest spending priority is clothing and shoes, with 16% of consumers planning to spend more than $500.
The survey also revealed that AI is emerging as a shopping companion. One-in-five back-to-school shoppers plan to use AI tools to find online deals — a shift that often speaks to rising comfort with AI among mainstream consumers, PwC said. This helps create a growing imperative for retailers to enhance their digital channels and search visibility for AI-powered discovery.
Shopping Channels
In other survey results, hybrid shopping (a mix of in-store and online) remains the dominant approach. But millennial (71%) and Gen X parents (73%) are significantly more online-oriented than Gen Z (57%) and boomers (54%).
Meanwhile, Gen Z (27%) and Boomer parents (30%) are more likely to stick with an in-store only approach. (Also, defying assumptions about digital-native habits, Gen Z parents are more likely than millennials or Gen X to shop exclusively in-store.)
Additional findings from PwC’s 2025 Back-To-School Shopping Survey are below.
- Not everyone is spending freely: For those cutting back, technology (44%) and clothing (40%) are often the top categories being cut back. Essentials like books/educational materials (26%) and school supplies (30%) remain more shielded.
- Ways to save: Prioritizing discounts (only buying items on sale) and shopping early are parents’ most common (37%) methods to save on back-to-school shopping. Reusing items from previous years (34%) and “spend less but buy similar items” (32%) are also how shoppers are making their dollars go further.
- Income influences channel choice: Households earning $75,000 or more are nearly twice as likely to shop exclusively online (14%) as those earning less than $75,000 (8%). Conversely, families earning less than the median are almost twice as likely to shop exclusively in-store (30% vs. 17% of households earning $75,000 or more).
- Looking ahead to the holiday shopping season: Of those parents planning to spend less on back-to-school shopping, the majority aren’t yet tightening their everyday spending or planning to reduce what they spend during the holiday season.
PwC surveyed 1,198 parents between May 6 and May 8 for its 2025 Back-to-School Survey.
