Many Latino families in Los Angeles are expected to begin back-to-school shopping earlier this summer as rising household expenses make discounts and promotions more important than ever.
Major retailers including Walmart, Target, Costco, Best Buy and Amazon have launched back-to-school sales in early July, giving shoppers more time to spread purchases over several weeks instead of making one large shopping trip before classes begin.
The trend is especially significant in neighborhoods with large Latino populations, where many households are balancing higher costs for rent, groceries, transportation and utilities while preparing children for the new school year.
According to PwC, U.S. families are expected to spend an average of $922 on back-to-school shopping this year, about 47% more than in 2025. The firm said part of the increase reflects higher prices affecting many consumer goods. Meanwhile, the National Retail Federation estimates back-to-school shopping generated about $128.2 billion in U.S. retail sales in 2025, representing roughly 2.3% of annual retail sales.
Instead of waiting until August, many shoppers are purchasing notebooks, backpacks, clothing, shoes, calculators and laptops during July promotions to take advantage of lower prices and distribute expenses across multiple pay periods.
Children are also playing a greater role in purchasing decisions. According to PwC, 61% of households plan to let children add products directly to online shopping carts after discovering items on social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.
Retailers are responding to that demand. Target said its June sales event allowed customers to purchase trending back-to-school products earlier in the season, while Amazon has expanded promotions across its back-to-school and college categories.
Parents are also looking for discounts on both classroom essentials and popular products, including customizable pencil cases, lunch boxes, JanSport and The North Face Borealis backpacks, Stanley and Owala water bottles, and dorm accessories promoted on social media.
For many lower-income Latino households in Los Angeles, shopping earlier has become a practical strategy to manage back-to-school expenses without placing additional pressure on already stretched monthly budgets.
Community organizations, nonprofit groups and local agencies also help ease the financial burden by organizing annual backpack and school supply giveaways before classes begin. While these donation drives are an important resource for many families, there is no official estimate of how many Latino households in Los Angeles rely on them each year.
