Economist Muhammad Al-Maiman said that the total spending on school supplies can go up to SR5 billion, given that the average amount of consumption per student is SR850 per semester. Activity at school supply stores are revived again, after a hiatus for more than a year, especially with 6 million students are back to schools in the new year, which has also revived in-person learning. Many specialized stores and even some "hardware" shops have started selling school products again with many offering back to school discounts. They have stocked up with the supplies required to meet the student's needs. The stores have also raised the prices of school supplies for the new year, after having to stop supplying school equipment in the past six months. A dealer in stationery markets, Ali Hassan, said: "The rise in the prices of office materials is normal in light of the absence and cessation of attendance studies, which lasted for more than a year and a half." Some stores did not raise their prices significantly, Hassan noted, adding, "However, the price rise was not significant in some stores, as it did not exceed about 5%, and some of the stores are trying to make up the difference for lack of business during the past six months." Private schools may also benefit from the return to schools, since they had to reduce school fees by 50%, especially since the fees will likely be raised with the return of students to schools.
