Here's how much more expensive back-to-school shopping is in 2025 — in one chart

Families will pay more for some key back-to-school essentials such as backpacks ahead of the new school year

Concerns that potential tariffs will drive prices even higher are changing the way many parents shop, reports show

A variety of school supplies, including lunch boxes and backpacks in different colors and patterns, are on display for the upcoming school year

Deb Cohn-Orbach | UCG | Universal Images Group | Getty ImagesAlthough inflation is cooling, President Donald Trump's new tariff rates are threatening to drive prices higher, which could leave some parents in a bind amid the back-to-school shopping season

Families are now paying more for some key back-to-school essentials, such as backpacks, ahead of the new school year

In the face of more expensive gear, many families are prepared to cut back

Back-to-school spending for K-12 students is estimated to reach a collective $30. 9 billion, or an average of roughly $570 per child this year, according to a new 2025 back-to-school retail survey by Deloitte

Deloitte polled more than 1,200 parents in May. "This season, we're expecting families to apach back-to-school season with a bit of caution as some concern the economy and their own personal financial situations are top of mind," said Brian McCarthy, a principal in Deloitte's retail strategy & analytics practice

Watch now2:0802:08Tariffs weigh on back-to-schoolSquawk on the StreetTrump's initial "liberation day" tariff agenda, which set a 10% baseline levy for nearly all countries as well as much higher duties on dozens of nations, was set for April 2, but those higher rates were paused for 90 days

On Monday, Trump signed an executive order delaying the tariff deadline until Aug

The full effect of steep new tariffs hasn't been felt by shoppers yet, according to Jack Kleinhenz, chief economist at the National Retail Federation. "However, if the large increases in tariffs announced earlier this year take effect and are sustained, they will infiltrate consumer prices, causing a downshift in spending," he said in a July 8 blog post. "Economic fundamentals appear solid at this juncture, but uncertainty is pervasive," Kleinhenz said

Back-to-school shopping strategiesConcerns over inflation, potential tariffs and duct shortages are already pushing consumers to change their back-to-school shopping habits, reports also show

According to Deloitte, 75% of parents said they will switch brands if their preferred brand is too expensive, up from 62% in 2024; 65% will shop at affordable retailers over their preferred stores

And, 56% are cutting back on non-essential purchases altogether to money, according to data from Intuit Credit Karma

More from Personal Finance:Trump's 'big beautiful bill' cuts SNAP for millions of familiesTax changes under Trump's 'big beautiful bill' — in one chartTrump's 'big beautiful bill' slashes CFPB fundingNearly two-thirds, or 62%, of shoppers also said they'll begin back-to-school shopping before August, a significant increase from 2024, another report by Coresight Re found

That's "bably to preempt any price rises," said Coresight analyst John Mercer. "We haven't seen the tariff impact on that yet, largely because of the pauses," he added. "At some point, if tariffs come in, there will be price impacts," Mercer said, and "consumers are right to be concerned. "Still, over half of parents — 53% — said they would go into debt to cover extracurriculars, and 46% would do the same for back-to-school items to help their child "fit in" at school, also up from the year before, according to NerdWallet's 2025 back-to-school shopping report

Many parents are influenced to splurge on a "hot" back-to-school item or first-day outfits, Deloitte also found