Introduction
As students prepare to return to school for the 2025-2026 academic period, parents and guardians face the challenge of purchasing essential school supplies. To help consumers make informed decisions, the Mexican Federal Consumer Prosecutor’s Office (Profeco) has released minimum and maximum prices for eight crucial school items.
Key School Supplies and Their Price Ranges
1. Liquid Glue
Liquid glue is a popular choice for school crafts and projects. Profeco’s monitoring found the lowest prices at Marchand Iztapalapa ($12.40 for 60g) and Papelería Tony ($16.38 for 125g), both in Mexico City. However, the highest prices were recorded at Walmart Zacatecas ($35.00 for 55g), Soriana Tlaxcala ($36.90 for 110g), and a traditional stationery store in Acapulco de Juárez ($85.00 for 225g).
2. Scissors
For precise cuts in paper, cardstock, and other materials, Profeco’s monitoring found the cheapest scissors at a traditional stationery store in Acapulco de Juárez ($14.60) and Office Depot Tlalpan in Mexico City ($16.50). The most expensive scissors were sold at Office Max Miguel Hidalgo in Mexico City for $72.00 each.
3. Ballpoint Pens
Profeco’s monitoring revealed that a three-piece ballpoint pen set was priced at $12.00 at Bodega Aurrera Álvaro Obregón in Mexico City and $23.00 at Chedraui Venustiano Carranza, also in Mexico City.
4. Adhesive Pencils
Adhesive pencils, known for their low water content and durability, were most affordable at Hipermercado Soriana in Baja California Sur ($12.20 for 10g) and Papelería Tony in Mexico City ($12.24 for 8g). The priciest adhesive pencils were found at Papelería Dabo Iztapalapa in Mexico City ($30.00 for 8.2g) and Hipermercado Soriana in Veracruz ($29.00 for 8g).
5. Pencils
The monitoring found the cheapest hexagonal No. 2 pencil blíster at Chedraui in La Paz ($13.3 for a five-piece blíster) and Súper Chedraui in Naucalpan de Juárez ($15.00 for a four-piece blíster). Office Max in Mexico City offered the most expensive pencil blíster at $49.00 for a four-piece set with eraser and pencil sharpener.
6. Erasers
Erasers were most affordable at Papelería Dabo Iztapalapa in Mexico City ($11.25 for a two-piece blíster) and Walmart Guerrero in Acapulco de Juárez ($17.00 for a three-piece blíster). The priciest erasers were found at Office Max Guerrero in Acapulco de Juárez ($58.00 for a two-piece blíster) and Office Depot Tlalpan in Mexico City ($64.00 for a three-piece blíster).
7. 30 cm Plastic Ruler
The cheapest plastic ruler was found in Tijuana at $14.00, followed by León and La Paz at $14.32. In Aguascalientes, Campeche, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Mexico City, Acapulco, Guadalajara, Estado de México, Cuernavaca, Monterrey, Oaxaca, Cancún, San Luis Potosí, and Tlaxcala, the ruler costs $15.00.
The lowest price for a metal 30 cm ruler was found in Acapulco ($26.9) and Mexico City ($27.46), while the highest prices were recorded in Durango and Puebla at $35.00.
8. Notebooks
For professional notebooks with 100 large square pages, the lowest price was found in Acapulco at a traditional stationery store (Francisco Javier Mina 36, Centro) for $19.50 and at Papelería Tony in Iztapalapa, Mexico City for $21.51. The most expensive notebook was found at Chedraui Plan de Ayala in Cuernavaca and Puebla ($129.00) and Office Max Polanco in Miguel Hidalgo, Mexico City ($125.00).
Key Questions and Answers
- What is Profeco? The Mexican Federal Consumer Prosecutor’s Office (Profeco) is responsible for protecting consumers’ rights and ensuring fair competition in the market.
- Why is this information important? Knowing the minimum and maximum prices of essential school supplies helps consumers make informed decisions, avoid overspending, and compare prices across different retailers.
- How does this information impact consumers? By understanding the price ranges, consumers can plan their budgets more effectively and choose the most affordable options without compromising quality.
- What should consumers do with this information? Consumers can use this data to compare prices, identify the best deals, and make informed purchasing decisions for their children’s school supplies.
