French consumer group UFC-Que Choisir reports that prices for back-to-school supplies have risen by an average 2% in the past year, reversing the slight dip seen in 2024. The association’s annual survey examined 118 items between early July 2024 and early July 2025, finding that 41 products became at least 2% more expensive, 23 fell by 2% or more, and the rest were unchanged. The watchdog says the market is still digesting the near-10% jump recorded in 2023, when soaring costs for pulp and petroleum drove up manufacturing expenses. Although raw-material prices have since eased, retailers have not fully passed those savings on to consumers, UFC-Que Choisir notes. Because shelf prices typically climb sharply at the start of the academic year, the group urges families to shop in July or early August. Its data show the average stationery basket now costs about €236 for a primary-school pupil and €324 for a student in the lower secondary grades.