NEW YORK – Inmar Intelligence's 2026 Back-to-School Trends Report reveals that the season has become a "battle for the basket" characterized by early planning and mid-season brand-switching. Shoppers are highly intentional, with 70% deciding on brands before entering the store and 75% willing to trade down for better value.
The report highlights several critical shifts in how consumers approach their shopping:
• Shoppers who sometimes switch brands for a deal jumped from 50% in 2025 to 75% in 2026. “Brand loyalty during Back-to-School used to be something you could count on if you showed up early. Now, even shoppers who planned around your brand are actively reconsidering in the moment. The brands that treat loyalty as earned once and kept forever are going to lose ground fast,” said Kris Beutel, SVP, MarTech Marketing at Inmar Intelligence.
• During mid-season replenishment, 3 in 4 shoppers trade down and 49% become open to new brands, but 90% say they'd switch back with the right offer. "Replenishment is the most underestimated moment during the Back-to-School season. Three in four shoppers are trading down, nearly half are open to brands they've never bought before, yet 90% say the right offer would bring them back. Brands that show up with a personalized, timely incentive at that moment have a real shot at re-winning the basket. Brands that don't are handing that opportunity to a competitor," she noted.
• 60%+ of parents prioritize nutrition, but they're ultimately choosing "healthy enough, affordable enough, and easy enough". "Health has become the price of entry. Parents want to feed their kids well – that hasn't changed. What has changed is that “healthy” now has to come bundled with affordable and easy, or it doesn't make the cart. Brands that lead with nutrition credentials alone are speaking to a priority that shoppers can no longer afford to act on in isolation," Beutel concluded.
