A comprehensive survey of UK parents of school-aged children, commissioned by AliExpress, reveals that families across the nation are navigating a severe post-summer financial squeeze in order to fund essential back-to-school
As children prepare to head back to the classroom, a combination of summer holiday overspending and relentless cost-of-living pressures has forced many households to adjust their shopping habits, stretch budgets, and make significant sacrifices.
The post-summer budget deficit
The findings show that keeping children entertained over the summer break came at a high cost. 74% of parents admit they overspent1 against their planned summer holiday budget (30% overspending significantly and 44% slightly), leaving little breathing room for autumn expenses.
This post-summer strain coincides directly with September routine costs. When asked about the impact of inflation and general economic pressures, 85% of parents stated that the rising cost of living has reduced their budget2 for back-to-routine purchases this autumn (42% reporting a significant reduction and 43% a slight reduction). Overall, Christmas remains the biggest annual financial pressure for parents (44%), closely followed by the summer holidays (24%) and general family holidays (13%).
Finch Li, AliExpress UK’s general manager, said: ”The transition from summer holidays to the back-to-school routine is always a challenging period for family finances. While families are facing tough compromises, they don’t have to compromise on quality. AliExpress provides a smart value alternative, enabling parents to navigate rising costs by accessing millions of every
Eight in ten forced to cut back
To cushion the financial blow, UK parents are tightening their belts elsewhere. Almost eight in ten (79%) respondents report cutting back on at least one spending area to ensure they can afford essential back-to-school and September routine costs (with only 21% saying they have not cut back on anything).
The primary areas where parents are trimming spending include:
- Takeaways: 43%
- Dining out: 43%
- Clothes for themselves: 38%
- Family days out: 29%
- Food shop treats: 28%
- Holidays or trips: 26%
Finding value alternatives
Financial strain is also altering when parents shop. Rather than spreading costs across the entire break, many delay purchases until term time is almost upon them.
- 45% of parents start buying back-to-school items two or three weeks before the term starts.
- 24% shop three weeks before, and 21% shop two weeks before
- Only 21% purchase items as soon as the summer break starts
- 7% wait until the week before
- 2% wait until a few days before term begins.
Overall, parents begin back-to-school shopping an average of 3.7 weeks before the term starts. However, regional habits vary significantly: Greater London parents leave shopping the latest, averaging 3.48 weeks. AliExpress says that thanks to its 2–7-day delivery speed, even the latest shoppers can easily complete their back-to-school lists with time to spare.
Money influencer Gemma Bird, also known as Money Mum revealed her personal back-to-routine plan:
“For my own kids going back to routine this September, we sit down together to separate the ‘must-haves’ from the ‘nice-to-haves.’ We meal-plan weekday lunches in advance using bento lunchboxes, and we can also benefit from AliExpress’s efficient 2–7-day delivery, which means we can place an order and get it in just one week.
“For tech upgrades like study lamps, headphones or smartphones, I shop smart through Brand+, AliExpress’s dedicated channel for top-performing products and brands of the best value. With their Best Price Guarantee on thousands of items, we start the term organised without breaking the bank.”
To stretch their budgets further, consumers are increasingly turning to value-driven retail strategies. When buying tech accessories and homeware, 83% of parents believe that more than 10% of a premium brand’s price tag goes purely toward the logo rather than the quality of the item.
Consequently, 32% of parents are actively swapping famous brands for unbranded or lesser-known alternatives with identical specifications to beat the September squeeze, while 40% compare prices across multiple online retailers before purchasing.
Best Price Match Guarantee
AliExpress says that to support parents during this time, AliExpress offers peace of mind through its Brand+ channel, with Best Price Guarantee on selected Brand+ marked items.
This program ensures families get the greatest value for their money by offering a price match or a refund for the difference if they find the same item listed cheaper elsewhere within seven days of purchase.
Finch added: “At AliExpress, we recognise that parents shouldn’t have to choose between quality and value when preparing their children for the new school year. Whether it’s everyday tech accessories, gadgets, consumer appliances or home study essentials, our focus remains on providing consumers with direct access to high-quality products without the inflated brand markups.
“Through our Brand+ Best Price Guarantee on tens of thousands of items, we are further helping UK households stretch their money, offering the peace of mind that if they find the same item cheaper elsewhere within seven days of purchase, we will provide a price match or a refund of the difference.”
The AliExpress Back-to-School sale can be found here.
