Back-to-school searches peaked in late July, but budget conscious parents are expected to drive a second surge of shopping, according to research from fulfilment provider, fulfilmentcrowd.

Parents are deal-hunting for children’s clothing, footwear, stationery, homeware, and electronics ahead of the start of the new academic year with 12% having shopped in the first week of the holidays and another 14% having begun purchasing from week three, according to data from myvouchercodes.

“Peak dates for back to school shopping searches vary year to year in the UK. This year, interest peaked between 27 July and 2 August, and is likely to climb again from following GCSE results day as the new academic year approaches.“

Lee Thompson, CEO, fulfilmentcrowd.

“We’re also expecting a late surge. We saw the same pattern in 2021, when many parents left purchases to the last minute – which may be due to anticipation of deals, offers and sales that many retailers implement as the start of the new school year approaches,” Thompson noted.

Parents spend an average of £108.59 per school child on back-to-school clothes over the course of 12 months, with research from AliExpress showing the back-to-school basket is changing.

Tech gadgets (22%) sit secondary to stationery (33%), with laptops and printer accessories topping shopping lists – alongside beauty products including mascara and moisturiser.

Based on its research findings, fulfilmentcrowd recommends retailers looking to capitalise on back to school 2026 consider launching campaigns in July to capture early deal seekers.

“Accurately forecasting future demand from seasonal trends and planned promotions enables smarter, timely buying decisions. It connects organisational processes, sustainability and ultimately improves the customer experience. Nothing frustrates shoppers more than finding a key item out of stock just before the new school year.”