On August 26, 2026, franceinfo relayed information from ICI (formerly France Bleu): the 2026 back-to-school basket, composed of 29 typical products (fountain pen, diary, school bag, calculator, double sheets, ruler, eraser and others), amounts to 134.17 euros. That is 1.85 euros less than in 2025 (when it reached 136.02 euros), i.e. a decrease of 1.36%. The study was carried out in partnership with the Nielsen IQ firm, via its subsidiary A3 Distrib. Why is this figure circulating now? A few days before the start of the school year, traditionally early September, families are scrutinizing supply prices. ICI regularly publishes this “basket” to measure the evolution of costs in large-scale distribution. The methodology is clear and verifiable: the prices of 29 flagship products were recorded in more than 7,000 drives of the Auchan, Carrefour, Intermarché, Coop U, E. Leclerc, Monoprix and Chronodrive chains, over the periods of July 2025 and July 2026. The change is calculated between these two dates. The established facts correspond precisely to the statement. A school bag costs on average one euro less than last year according to the main article from ICI and franceinfo. A pack of twelve coloring markers drops by 46 cents, a sorter by 32 cents. The homework diary falls by 15 cents. Vincent Cornu, director of distribution services France at Nielsen IQ (or general manager of a3distrib according to the formulations), explains that negotiations between distributors and suppliers took place before the start of a war in Iran, which led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and a surge in oil and raw material prices. The effects of this tension are likely to be felt more on the 2027 back-to-school period, especially for plastic-rich items. On the other hand, some plastic-based products continue to rise: the calculator (+0.42 euro), the fountain pen (+0.31 euro) and the branded soft binder (+0.20 euro). These points are consistent from one ICI article to another, even if a local report in Marseille mentions a school bag decrease of 1.40 euros rather than one euro. This is probably a variation in precision or rounding according to the calculated average basket. Another isolated wording mistakenly speaks of a decrease in markers “compared to 2026”, which is an obvious typo (it is 2025). Distributor brands remain significantly cheaper: a 100% private-label basket comes to 80.54 euros, compared with 157.01 euros for a national brands basket, i.e. nearly 76 euros difference. Distributors are squeezing their margins and limiting marketing costs on these loss-leader products. This ICI basket is not the only barometer. Familles de France, in its annual survey published mid-August 2026, estimates the average cost of supplies for a student entering 6th grade at about 180.80 euros (compared with 211.10 euros in 2025), i.e. a much more marked decrease of 14.35% or 30 euros. Their basket includes 47 items, including sports articles that strongly pull prices down. Channels also vary: supermarkets around 150 euros, hypermarkets nearly 181 euros, specialists more expensive. These differences in composition (fixed basket of 29 items in food drives at ICI/Nielsen versus multi-channel and multi-product surveys at Familles de France) explain the gaps in amounts and percentages. Other observations, such as those from the AIPB with Nielsen IQ on sales volumes in July 2026, note a 5% drop in volumes but slightly declining average prices. No element contradicts the central figure of 134.17 euros nor the slight decrease. The information comes directly from the primary source (ICI + Nielsen IQ) and is picked up without major alteration by franceinfo. The blind spots mainly concern representativeness: the basket is limited to drives of food large-scale distribution and to 29 “flagship” products, not to the entirety of school lists nor to specialized stores or second-hand/used. It also does not include clothes, shoes, canteen or activities. Prices may still change in September. The mentioned geopolitical impact (Iran) remains an explanation provided by the firm, not an independently verified piece of data here. In provisional conclusion, the statement is accurate and solidly sourced. The ICI 2026 back-to-school basket indeed stands at 134.17 euros, slightly down by 1.85 euros compared with 2025. A school bag is on average one euro cheaper there, while calculator and fountain pen continue to rise. This trend fits into a broader context of relative easing of supply prices after previous inflationary peaks, even if other broader barometers show sharper decreases and the real budget of families depends heavily on brand choices, channels and school level.