Back to school, and back in the game
Back to school, back to trade-offs
After a summer shaped by travel, entertainment, and shared experiences, families are making a mindful shift to fund the school year ahead. Our new KPMG Consumer Pulse Survey finds back-to-school spending is on track to rise 10 percent as parents reserve budget for the purchases, activities, and routines that shape daily life in the fall.
The shift comes as household economic pressures remain high. Thirty-seven percent of consumers say they are financially worse off than last year, compared with 27 percent who say their situation is better. Inflation concerns also continue to shape purchasing decisions, with families looking for ways to stretch budgets without cutting the school-year essentials they value most.
For back-to-school shoppers, the cost of the season is climbing. Average spending per child is expected to reach $324 in 2026 compared with $294 last year. Among consumers who expect to spend more, 80 percent say higher prices are the reason.
The overall picture is a more deliberate fall consumer. Families are making mindful trade-offs to align household budgets with the school-year routines and activities they value most, with youth sports emerging as one of the clearest fall priorities. As practices, games, gear, and related activities return to the calendar, many parents are shifting dollars away from more discretionary categories to keep kids participating. For retailers and brands, the opportunity is to understand where families are still willing to spend—and what they are cutting to make that spending possible.
About the survey
Our annual back-to-school 2026 consumer survey seeks to accurately represent US demographics with a sample of 2,297 consumers across the United States. The survey was conducted online and fielded between May 29 and June 18, 2026.
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Families make room for fall sports
As the school year nears, families are protecting one of the season’s most visible expenses: youth sports. Outdoor sports are the most common school-related activity in the survey, cited by 43 percent of respondents, with 26 percent also citing indoor sports. Riding the tailwind of the summer’s World Cup excitement, soccer is the top outdoor sport, followed by baseball/softball and football; basketball leads indoor sports.
The costs extend from participation to the gear around it. Nearly one in four respondents say their children’s activities have led them to buy sports apparel more often, while just 18 percent say they are buying less. To keep their kids in the game, many respondents are planning to reduce spend elsewhere, led by planned cutbacks in dining out and non-essential food, personal leisure and entertainment, and travel/vacations.
Beyond school and team activities, 32 percent of children take part in some form of extracurricular training or tutoring, with 42 percent of that group engaging in sports training or coaching.
Outdoor sports are the most common Back-To-School activity, with soccer leading the way
Back-to-school budgets rise as prices climb
Back-to-school spending per child is expected to rise 6 percent year over year, and for many families, that increase is coming from higher prices across the purchases they already expect to make—supplies, apparel, technology, and other school-related needs. Technology remains a big part of that equation, especially as students reach higher grade levels. Laptops are the top planned technology investment for back-to-school shoppers, cited by 45 percent, followed by tablets at 31 percent. But the school tech list can now extend into online learning tools, education software, and even home networking needs. Still, the overall spending driver this year is clear: Most are anticipating higher prices for the school-year basics, while deciding which purchases can wait for the right deal or moment.
Back-to-school spend increases year-over-year due to higher prices
Restaurants caught in the middle as more meals move home
Food and dining are one of the clearest areas in which households plan to seek savings as fall routines begin. Among families with children heading back to school, about half expect to dine out less frequently, while only 12 percent expect to dine out more. Among those cutting back, saving money is the dominant reason. Families are also adjusting how they handle weekday meals: 48 percent plan simpler meals with fewer ingredients and quicker prep, while 32 percent expect to do more advanced meal preparation or batch cooking. Across all consumers, restaurant spending is expected to be essentially flat this fall, against a backdrop of higher prices.
Consumers plan to dine out less frequently due to fall budget constraints
GLP-1 use accelerates lifestyle and wellness signals
One broader consumer shift stands out beyond the back-to-school season: GLP-1 adoption is reinforcing changes in how consumers spend across food, wellness, and “for me” categories. Nearly one in three consumers are currently taking, have taken, or plan to take GLP-1 medication, with Millennials leading that trend at 39 percent. Among current, former, or prospective GLP-1 users, 70 percent cite lifestyle-related reasons such as weight management or obesity, compared with 28 percent citing medical reasons.
The spending shifts are already visible among current and former users. They report increased spending on healthy grocery products, healthy food and nutrition products, supplements, and beauty, skincare, and personal care products. At the same time, they report declines in unhealthy grocery products, snacks and sugary beverages, and alcohol, tobacco, and vaping products. For retailers and brands, GLP-1 is less a standalone health trend than an accelerator of changing consumer baskets—and often across categories that used to be planned separately.
GLP‑1 adoption is primarily driven by lifestyle or weight management needs
The fall consumer is spending with a sharper filter
The 2026 fall consumer is still spending, but the budget must clear a higher bar. Families are protecting school-year priorities that support their children’s routines and activities—from youth sports and meals at home to access to technology-enabled learning—while broader consumer spending tilts toward essentials and category choices become more deliberate. For retailers and brands, that raises the stakes on timing, value, and relevance. The strongest opportunities will come from making the consumer trade-offs feel manageable—whether that means supporting school routines, simplifying meals, stretching essential budgets, or responding to emerging shifts in health and wellness spending.
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