Three predictions for 2025 back-to-school shopping
Retailers can expect consumers to focus on value during the fall back-to-school shopping season.
That's one of three predictions in Inmar Intelligence's "2025 Back-to-School Shopping Forecast Report," which revealed that 31% of parents are prepared to take on debt in order to pay for back-to-school shopping, including apparel, school supplies, food items and more, which makes incentives, loyalty programs, and private labels more important than ever.
Here are Inmar’s three predictions for back-to-school shopping.
#1: Price-Sensitive Parents Will Challenge Brands to Deliver Value
Given the ongoing economic uncertainty, back-to-Sschool consumers will cut costs where it counts and splurge where quality matters. Ninety-four percent of consumers will prioritize low prices for school supplies, while 42% will do so for food and grocery items, and 36% will do so for personal care and hygiene items.
But it's not all about low prices. At 45% each, consumers say they will pay more for high-quality products in the health and wellness, clothing and shoes, and food and grocery categories.
[READ MORE: Shoppers to reduce spending on footwear — including sneakers]
A wide majority (92%) of those surveyed will decide where to shop based on the availability of coupons and accessibility of loyalty programs, and 82% of shoppers want brands to remember their purchases and offer personalized rewards. More than two-thirds (78%) of parents said they typically buy the same brands year over year.
#2: Back-to-School Health
Inmar noted that health is a big priority for parents this year. Half (50%) of parents say health is a bigger concern than in previous years, and 88% say that concern will affect their purchase decisions. Digital coupon redemptions surge in the health and wellness category during the back-to-school season – up 61% for health products and nearly 22% for personal care.
Half of parents say they’d choose healthiness over affordability if forced to prioritize. Forty percent of consumers would consider trying a new brand if it offered better benefits for their child’s health.
#3: Purchase Decisions Start on Social
Social media will play a key role in what parents buy for back-to-school shopping this year, according to the report, as 70% of consumers say their decisions will be influenced by social and creator content. Nearly eight-in-10 (79%) parents say their children have moderate to strong influence over what back-to-school products they buy, especially when it comes to clothing and shoes, food and grocery items, and general school supplies.
“Between summer spontaneity and holiday spending, back-to-school sparks unique shifts in consumer behaviors,” said Inmar. “As routines return, what shoppers prioritize now – from savings and convenience to brand trust – will shape spending through the rest of the year.
Inmar’s report includes consumer survey data sourced via the April 2025 Inmar Intelligence Spring Season Survey of 1,000 Americans.
