Back to school prices are soaring – see how much bags, lunch boxes and more have gone up

The cost of getting children back to school this week has jumped, with prices soaring for everything from a backpack to a lunch box.

Research by comparison website PriceRunner found the typical price of ring binders had risen by a third to £12 in the past 12 months; a set of highlighter pens is up by a fifth, at £11; and sticky notes are almost 90% higher, at £13.

And although the price of books has fallen by 11%, a backpack costs 14% more, at £55, and a plastic water bottle is up 13%, at £15.

Lunch bags and lunch boxes have gone up by a more modest 3% and now cost £12 on average.

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Here are the risers and fallers:

• Binders, £12, up 33%
• Sticky notes, £13, up 86%
• Highlighter sets, £11, up 21%
• Backpacks, £55, up 14%
• Reusable water bottles, £15, up 13%
• Laptops, £907, 12%
• Alarm clocks, £32, up 11%
• Laptop holders, £44, up 11%
• Keyboards, £64, up 7%
• Lunch boxes, £12, up 3%
• Lunch bags, £12, up 3%
• Laptop cases, £33, down 2%
• Books, £6, down 11%
• Notebooks, £14, down 29%

Klarna – the buy now, pay later credit provider which owns PriceRunner – also compared the volume of sales in August this year with last year.

It found that sales of backpacks were down by 15%, suggesting that some parents may have been cutting back or buying items earlier in anticipation of rising prices.

Alex Marsh, head of Klarna UK, said: “It’s clear from our data that parents are looking to economise where they can as they prepare for the return to school.

“Many have decided to beat price rises by making last year’s backpack last another year, whilst others are cashing in on cheaper books and notepads.”

Christine Gouldthorp, a consumer expert at PriceRunner, advised parents to check the price history of products they are in the market for, as it will help them know when might be a cheaper time to buy.