Bags, notebooks, school clothes and stationery line the store shelves, with the 'Back to school' tagline adorning most windows.
The countdown to the start of the new school year has already begun, which means that the market is flooded with school supplies. According to Sigma, the Cyprus Consumers' Association has already carried out a market survey and recorded the current prices.
In her statements, Virginia Christou, Legal Officer of the Cyprus Consumers' Association, stated that "We have conducted research in 54 places all over Cyprus for school supplies and we found that in relation to school supplies only, not for clothing, there is a wide range of prices, which fluctuate at the same levels as last year, with a small increase mainly in branded products"
According to data from the Consumers Association, prices for school supplies and clothing range between:
- For school bags from 5 euros to 199,95 euros
- For the caskets from 1,90 euros to 44,95 euros
- For markers, pencils, pens from 0,10 euros to 67 euros (including a package with everything necessary)
- For school notebooks from 0,39 euros to 12,63 euros
- For files from 0,20 euros to 4 euros
- For school jerseys from 6 euros to 20 euros
- For school trousers from 10 euros to 30 euros
- For school skirts from 13 euros to 35 euros
At the same time, the Association emphasizes that market research must be carried out by the consumers, both with their physical presence in the stores and on the internet websites.
Additionally, Virginia Christou stated that "It does not necessarily mean that the online offers are also valid in the store with a physical presence".
The Association, however, also receives consumer complaints about
stores that do not display prices on school supplies. In these cases the Association advises the public to make formal complaints, to be able to forward them to the Ministry of Commerce at a later date.
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Source: Sigmalive