Before going shopping for her daughter’s school supplies, nutritionist Elaine Dias scanned what she had in her house. Colored pencils, sharpie, notebook: many of the items were almost intact, a consequence of remote classes due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Yasmin, who has just gone to the 2nd year of elementary school, started taking home classes in early 2020 and only returned to face-to-face classes in the middle of last year. What was underused in that period went into this year’s backpack. “Even so, it was almost 30% more than the amount I spent last year”, calculates the mother.
The nutritionist’s impression matches the survey by ABFIAE (Brazilian Association of Manufacturers and Importers of School Supplies). According to the entity, the price passed on from the industry to retail was 15% to 30% higher in 2022, according to Sidnei Bergamaschi, president of Tilibra and the association.
For manufacturers, the increase is linked to raw material prices. Paper, cardboard, glue, paint, plastics and metal are much more expensive — in some cases the increase is as high as 100%. “Packaging, with the pandemic, has increased enormously”, says Bergamaschi. Energy is also included in the bill: the drought caused the hydroelectric reservoirs to dwindle and the more expensive thermoelectric plants to start operating.
Importers, on the other hand, feel the rise in the dollar, which closed 2021 at R$5.57, and the global logistical chaos caused by the health crisis. “Before the pandemic, container imports cost US$ 2,000. Now it is in the range of US$ 11,000”, says Bergamaschi.
The businessman says that it is not possible to compare 2022 with last year, when back to school was practically non-existent for the industry. But even in relation to other years, the increase is significant: the readjustment used to be between 7% and 12%.
For this year, the industry is optimistic, but does not have hopes of reaching the pre-pandemic level. “This will probably only happen in 2023, if all goes well,” says Bergamaschi.
A survey by Procon-SP carried out in early December shows that quoting prices in different establishments makes a difference. The foundation compared the values ​​of 79 common items in bills of materials at eight different sites.
The biggest price difference is over 380%. It was a box of modeling clay that was R$2.70 in a store, while another offered it for R$12.99.
“Consumers have to be very attentive, because the differences do exist”, says the entity’s research supervisor, Cristina Martinussi. “It’s important that he always checks the average price, to get an idea.”
Before you go shopping, she suggests calling a few places to get prices. Once in the store, with an idea of ​​the average market values, it is possible to negotiate and ask for discounts. Some payment methods also allow for lower prices at some merchants.
The supervisor reminds that the list of materials must be based on what the student will use during the year. Collective use materials, such as cleaning items, should not be requested from parents. “The ream of sulfite, for example, must be for the student himself. If it is to be used in the secretariat, it cannot”, he says.
In other years, Elaine Dias made use of the collective purchase. Many stores discount high-volume sales, so she teamed up with other parents to get discounts. This year, she took advantage of the holidays and went alone: ​​she researched in some places and already has the materials at home.
The price of the uniform, which according to the IBGE increased by 9.57% in 2021, was also reduced by the nutritionist. She used clothes from a nephew, who studied at the same school as her daughter, and participated in a detachment group with other fathers and mothers. “I have to do my runs to save money,” she says.
In 2021, the IPCA (Broad National Consumer Price Index, the main one to measure inflation) easily exceeded the target pursued by the Central Bank and ended the year at 10.06% in the 12-month period.
The increase — the biggest for the period from January to December since 2015 (10.67%) — was driven especially by transport, a group that suffered from the soaring price of fuel.
The indicator shows that stationery items, common among those requested in school supply lists, increased by 8.74% in the period.
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