After six weeks of summer, sun and holidays, thousands of children in Germany are starting a new school year. For parents, this means one thing above all: new pads, pens and notebooks are needed. But that is a costly affair this year.
The purchases needed to start school, such as notebooks, fountain pens or satchels, have become significantly more expensive in recent months than they were a year ago. As reported by the Federal Statistical Office, the prices for school materials rose by 13.6 percent compared to the same month last year. Overall, consumer prices rose by 7.5 percent over the same period.
"Reasons for the high price increase for exercise books and drawing pads are likely to be, among other things, the ongoing shortage of paper and the increasing costs of paper production," the statisticians explained.
For pens and paint boxes as well as for fountain pens and fountain pen cartridges, 5.2 percent more had to be paid than in July 2021. The prices for satchels were 4.7 percent higher than in the same month last year.
The summer holidays are already over in North Rhine-Westphalia, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Schleswig-Holstein. The next school year begins in Hamburg, Berlin and Brandenburg. In Bavaria, school doesn't start again until mid-September.
