In July, consumers had to spend more money on school materials than they did a year ago.

As the Federal Statistical Office announced on Tuesday in Wiesbaden, the prices for exercise books and drawing pads rose by 13.6 percent compared to the same month last year.

Overall, consumer prices rose by 7.5 percent over the same period.

"Reasons for the high price increase for exercise books and drawing pads are likely to be, among other things, the ongoing shortage of paper and the increasing costs of paper production," the statisticians explained.

For pens and paint boxes as well as for fountain pens and fountain pen cartridges, 5.2 percent more had to be paid than in July 2021. The prices for satchels were 4.7 percent higher than in the same month last year.

The summer holidays are already over in North Rhine-Westphalia, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Schleswig-Holstein.

The next school year begins in Hamburg, Berlin and Brandenburg.

In Bavaria, school doesn't start again until mid-September.