Walmart’s back-to-school assortment will feature its lowest prices since 2019 on 14 of the most popular school supplies. Pricing on select school products will start at 25 cents, the mass retailer said Wednesday.
The company also has over 1,300 more rollbacks compared to last year and its back-to-school lunch basket maintains an average cost of under $2 per lunch. Walmart also debuted a new grocery-focused college basket for under $35 and a digital college wishlist experience.
The focus is similar to Walmart's back-to-school announcement last year, which also included lunch kits at about $2 a day for 10 days, select 25-cent pricing and lower prices on the 14 most popular supplies.
Walmart’s news follows similar announcements from other retailers this past month.
Target in June revealed more than 50% of its back-to-school assortment would be new, including limited-edition merchandise collaborations, and teased 50% off an annual Target Circle 360 membership.
Staples and Dollar General earlier this month touted back-to-school pricing on par with 2025, with both companies highlighting dozens of products priced at $1 and under. Additionally, Kohl’s highlighted its assortment includes thousands of products priced under $25.
The pricing focus across the industry comes as back-to-school spending is expected to stay flat this year, according to a 2026 survey from Deloitte released in July. Parents are expected to spend $557 per child, marking a $13 year-over-year decrease or a 6% drop when adjusted for inflation.
Nearly 60% of consumers expect the economy to get worse in the coming months and most shoppers for back-to-school expect to spend at mass merchants, the survey found.
