Last year’s record Back-to-School spending is expected to inch lower in this year’s inflation-pressured environment as shoppers look for earlier deals in July, according to the first round of surveys from the National Retail Federation and Deloitte. NRF data, gleaned from a July 1-8 Prosper Analytics Survey, shows K-12 families will average $874.68 in spending this year, ticking down 2% from last year, translating to $38.8 billion in total spend, down 7% from 2023’s high water mark of $41.5 billion. Clothing is guided for a $253.29 per family average, totaling $11.2 ... Log in to view full article.