Must-have brands set back parents

Manu Moala goes back to school today. Picture / Greg Bowker

Manu Moala has to have a surf-branded schoolbag. Her pencil case needs to be covered by Bratz Dolls, and her drink carton can't be anything other than Barbie.

The 8-year-old goes back to St Leonards Rd Primary School in Kelston, West Auckland, today and there are certain things a girl cannot do without.

For mother Lesieli Moala, like thousands of parents whose children are starting another school year, it's an expensive time.

She has spent about $600 to get Manu ready for her first day back at school, including school fees, a uniform, a bag, a pencil case and $100 on stationery.

But it doesn't include lunch and snacks every day for a year, any extra costs for school trips or a new swimming costume for lessons.

And for Mrs Moala, that figure is a fraction of what she will spend when she tots up the costs of a son at intermediate school and two other children at high school.

"They all need to have the right gear and, coming after Christmas, it puts a big strain on the finances," she said.

"We have to plan way ahead before we get to the start of school."

For stationery companies the fortnight before school starts is a second Christmas.

Prices start fairly reasonably, but of course, like Manu, most children are desperate to have the "right" gear - which is usually branded and more expensive.

A backpack from Warehouse Stationery can cost from $8 to $40. At Whitcoulls, pencil cases start at $3.99 and go up to $7.99.

Justin Boyes, the sales and marketing manager at Whitcoulls, said the most popular brands this year were Rip Curl, Bratz, American Shopper, and Narnia and King Kong-themed items.

"Kids like to have the matching notebooks, ring-binders, pens and pencils," he said.

"It depends whether you're looking for a cheap alternative or what's cool at the moment."

Warehouse Stationery chief executive Ed Connolly said parents did most of the buying so basic brands outstripped licensed goods.

"But pester power from the kids has an effect, with King Kong and Narnia proving popular."

Warehouse Stationery will sell about 3 million books in the back-to-school market. The stiff competition has spurred promotions, extended opening hours, a large advertising budget and the launch of a pilot online service this year.

"It's amazingly competitive and that means value for customers," Mr Connolly said.

The big-three stationers sell exercise books for below cost price to try to pull in customers.

Paper Plus chief executive Rob Smith said exercise books started at 5c each.

"There's no point in pricing yourselves out of the market."

And while that is cheap, the mountain of items needed soon adds up.

A Council for Educational Research survey suggests it costs almost $2000 a year to send a child to school.

That total varies in different areas and drops off at lower-decile schools, but it is still a strain on budgets, says the Australian Scholarships Group, a specialist in education savings programmes.

Managing director Terry O'Connell warned that parents should put money aside. "As the costs of lifetime education spiral upwards, implementing small savings can make a big impact on the total cost of a child's education."