“That’s a good sign for our economy,” said Sam Loughry, Deloitte’s consumer industry leader and partner in Dallas.
Classes and online or app-based programs include yoga, meditation and spiritual retreats. Other spending has been on extracurricular activities in music, dance, sports and art. Day camps and sleepaway camps were also cited by parents. Clear and mesh backpacks priced at $11.89 were in stock at the Walmart on Midway Road and LBJ Freeway in Dallas over the weekend. Walmart is already having to restock school supplies nightly.
Erica Mendoza, 34, checks out the lunch boxes included in the seasonal back-to-school section at a northwest Dallas Walmart.Almost a third of D-FW households said their financial situation is worse than last year vs. 15% last year. More than half said they expect the economy to weaken, up from 21% last year.
Retailers are offering more private brands in addition to national brands. Target’s own Up & Up brand two-pack of glue sticks is 25 cents vs. Elmer’s same size at 55 cents. Walmart has a brand owned by Mattel called Cra-Z-Art that it sells alongside Crayola products.