The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) recently released the “Gabay sa Pamimili ng (Guide to Buying) School Supplies” price guide to assist consumers in purchasing school items as the new school year approaches.
The price guide includes suggested retail prices for various school supplies, including notebooks, pad paper, pencils, pens, crayons, erasers, sharpeners, and rulers.
This year’s guide features a wider selection of school supplies, with 173 stock keeping units (SKUs) compared to 117 last year.
The good news for consumers is price stability. Over 68 percent of the listed SKUs maintained the same price as last year, while only 24 percent saw an increase.
The suggested retail price for notebooks ranges from P11.80 to P52, while pad paper for Grades 1-4 varies from P9.50 to P61. Intermediate pad paper is priced between P13.80 and P48.75.
Writing materials like pencils and ballpoint pens range from P11 to P33 and P3 to P33, respectively.
Crayons come in various pack sizes and prices, with an eight-color box starting as low as P12. Sharpeners and rulers are priced at P15 to P69 and P16 to P29, respectively. Erasers remain at P4.50 to P20 for various sizes.
For informed purchases, the DTI recommends checking school supply labels, the manufacturer’s information, the number of leaves in notebooks/paper, and any other relevant details.
“I urge consumers to buy school supplies from companies that comply with labeling requirements and use the Gabay in shopping. The Gabay indicates which SKUs have not increased or have retained their prices,” said DTI Secretary Alfredo Pascual.
This price guide is part of the DTI’s commitment to consumer protection, encouraging buyers to be aware of their rights and report any violations of product quality standards.