All Stationers' Association (TÜKİD), which made a special statement to Milli Gazete regarding school expenditures, also drew attention to the problems of stationery shopkeepers.
While the students are excited for the 2023-2024 academic year, the parents are worried.
The economic crisis, which shook the budget of the household in every aspect, made the bills of school shopping high.
Families who are thinking about how to buy many stationery items such as supplementary resource books and project homework materials, as well as school supplies, will be able to fill a student's bag for an average of 900-200 thousand TL this year.
While this is the case, tradesmen in the stationery shops where many products are imported are also struggling with the problems of the economic crisis.
All Stationers' Association (TÜKİD), which made special statements to the Milli Gazete before the 2023-2024 academic year, announced the balance sheet of the back-to-school bill only for stationery.
“AN INCREASE BETWEEN 40-75 PERCENT”
Vecdet F. Şendil, Chairman of the Board of Directors of TÜKİD, drew attention to the price increases in the stationery sector.
"There is an increase in stationery products, as in all other products due to the inflationary situation in the world and in Turkey. When we compare last year with this year, we can say that there is an increase between 40 and 75 percent on product basis in general. Of course, product prices vary according to purchasing power and preferences. For example, you can buy a school bag for 200 liras or 800 liras. Purchasing preferences change according to the demand and income of the consumer," Şendil said.
“HIGH TAXES IS FORCING TRADESMEN”
Vecdet F. Şendil also mentioned the tax burden of the stationery tradesmen.
"With the decision taken in 2004, VAT was reduced from 18 percent to 8 percent on stationery products such as pencils, crayons, watercolors, crayons, school notebooks, erasers, sharpeners, rulers, compasses, miter, and protractors. On the other hand, for some products, such as mechanical pencils, the rate remained at 18 percent. With the latest decisions published in the Official Gazette, this rate had increased to 20 percent. This rate should drop to 10%. Stationery items such as erasers, pencils, notebooks and paints are just as basic as food. We want low-income people to have easier access to stationery products and to reduce the VAT rate from 10 percent to 1 percent in order to pave the way for the sector. We expect the VAT rate on stationery to be reduced to reasonable levels as soon as possible. High taxes are pushing our tradesmen," Şendil added.