School supplies cost a lot at back-to-school time because of rising energy, paper and shipping costs, reports lapresse.tn. But you can cut the bill by buying early, avoiding licensed products and going for Tunisian brands.
Why prices are going up
Paper is at the heart of the problem. According to a technician at a paper manufacturing plant quoted by lapresse.tn, energy can account for nearly 30% of the final production cost. Pulp prices have also gradually doubled, period after period.
Another point: some supplies are imported, because the volumes needed do not justify a local production line. Shipping therefore weighs on the final price.
What is already subsidised
Some good news all the same: textbooks and exercise books are subsidised by the Tunisian state, which covers the difference in cost. The Kasserine paper plant supplied the paper needed for textbooks and exercise books. The school subscription is also set at a subsidised preferential price.
How to pay less
Timing matters. Supply prices rise in late August and September, but supermarkets sometimes offer discounts as early as July. Buying before the back-to-school rush can therefore make a real difference.
Watch out for products with licensed images, the ones with TV series, players or football clubs: they often cost two to three times more than the standard versions. A school bag with a player's face on it does not hold any more exercise books than another one.
The source also recommends buying Tunisian products and own-brand items to keep spending down. And for a full set of pens or felt tips, expect typically twelve colours: check what you actually need before buying the lot.
What you can do now
If you want to spread out the cost, keep an eye on supermarket promotions from July onwards instead of waiting until late August. lapresse.tn remains your source for tracking price changes until the school year starts.