UK Back to School Market Report 2023

Stay ahead of the curve and future-proof your business with Mintel’s UK Back-to-School Market Report 2023. Our full report is packed with consumer-led market intelligence, the latest market research, trends and consumer behaviours affecting your business. Get a 360° view of the back-to-school retail market, including market size, share and forecasted growth to help you align your business strategy with the needs of your audience.

Below, we’ve handpicked the key insights analysed in the full report and summarised the core topics.

Topics Analysed in this Report

• Analysis of the back-to-school market size.
• The impact of the cost of living on the back-to-school demand in 2023
• Explore what was purchased for back to school and how those items were purchased.
• Sustainable and savvy shopping behaviours in the back-to-school retail market.
• Innovations and launches in the back-to-school retail market.

Back-to-School Market Overview

Parents struggled to afford the essentials as back-to-school costs grew in 2023. With parents budgeting for the new term, replenishing school supplies were a priority. A focus on the essentials meant some were forced to cut back spending on bigger-ticket items while others relied heavily on discounts and promotions.

• Back to school market size: Mintel estimates consumer spending on back-to-school items surpassed £1335 million in 2023.

Back to School Retail Market: Challenges and Opportunities

Help spread back-to-school retail costs

With value still high on the agenda, brands in the back-to-school retail market need to be active in communicating to parents not just the lowest base price but alternative ways to save. For example, buy-now-pay-later options provide flexibility to parents and help them spread costs.

• Back to school market challenge: 46% of parents have bought items using a payment scheme (eg. buy-now-pay-later).

Highlight the quality of high-quality

Retailers have an opportunity to highlight the benefits, functions and the payoff for investing in higher-quality products, and making these benefits tangible is crucial in communicating the value of both the financial and sustainable qualities in buying better-quality products that last longer.

• Back to school market opportunity: 73% of parents think it is worth paying more for high-quality products.

Purchase our UK Back-to-School Market Report to receive a five-year forecast, consumer behaviour analysis, and recommendations for market opportunities.  Readers of this report may also be interested in our UK Childrenswear Market Report 2023.

Leading Brands in the Back to School Market

M&S, Sainsbury’s, John Lewis, Decathalon, Superdrug, Curry’s, Amazon.

Additional Features Included with Your Purchase

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Expert Insights from a Mintel Analyst

This report, written by Emily Viberg, a leading research analyst, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight trends in the back to school retail market and add expert context to the numbers.

Value remains a priority for parents, but this means more than just price with flexible payment schemes, and circular shopping options are now a must-have in the back-to-school market.

Emily Vilberg
Global Analyst