Algiers – As the 2024-2025 school year approaches, school supply prices have seen a significant drop compared to last year, thanks to a rise in local investors entering the market and many importers shifting to production. The spread of local markets has also contributed to making these essentials available at relatively lower prices, as observed by APS across various municipalities in Algiers.
At the local market set up by the Rouiba municipality for school supplies, around twenty Algerian and foreign brands are competing to showcase their products, attracting large crowds.
Abdessalem, a vendor for one of the Algerian brands, noted, “Prices this year are lower than previous years, as customers themselves confirm.” He added, while displaying a newly produced ballpoint pen, “The price of pens has dropped significantly. This pen is sold for only 25 DZD, compared to foreign brands priced over 60 DZD.”
Fares, a representative for another Algerian brand, used a 96-page notebook as an example of the price drop, explaining that it previously sold for 90 DZD but now costs just 75 DZD. He also pointed out that some products saw price reductions ranging from 10% to 20% during the market event, although “some items have increased in price, which is unavoidable.”
Sihem, a customer, expressed her satisfaction with the prices, stating that she plans to return with her children to buy all their school supplies later, as she found the prices at the local market “much better than those in stores.”
In Rouiba, school bags range between 1500 and 3200 DZD at the local market, while in the city center, they can reach up to 4800 DZD. Ballpoint pens are priced between 25 and 50 DZD at the market, while in stores, they range from 40 to 60 DZD.
One vendor at the local market offered locally produced colored pencils at a special price, with a 12-pencil set selling for only 80 DZD, compared to imported brands sold for no less than 240 DZD in stores.
At the “Lemsid” exhibition at the Algiers Exhibition Center, the third edition of the back-to-school event allowed parents to discover a wide variety of local and international products. For instance, a ballpoint pen could be purchased for 20 DZD, according to Ahmed, a representative of an Algerian brand that manufactures these pens entirely in Algeria, except for the ink, which is imported from Germany.
Sofiane, a parent shopping with his children, mentioned, “Prices have dropped this year,” but also noted that “the decrease hasn’t affected all items, as I had to spend 3200 DZD on just one school bag, which is a high price for an employee with three children in school.”
The “Lemsid” exhibition offers parents a wide selection, with colored pencils priced between 80 DZD for a locally made 12-pencil set and 850 DZD for a similar set made in China. School bags range from 1500 to 4800 DZD.
Despite the price differences between local markets and stores, the latter have also seen an increase in customers, who confirm that prices have dropped compared to last year due to the increased availability of locally produced goods.
Upon entering any store selling school supplies in the capital, visitors will notice the abundance of Algerian brands compared to imported ones, with a noticeable price difference.
In the popular “Laglaciere” neighborhood (El Harrach) in Bach Djerrah, Fatah, a school supplies vendor, confirmed the “significant decrease” in notebook and pen prices, which are the main components of a student’s backpack. However, he also pointed out that the prices of some imported items have risen.
Some customers at the same store expressed satisfaction with the lower notebook prices, while hoping to see similar decreases in the prices of textbooks, aprons, and school bags.
The Ministry of Commerce and Export Promotion had earlier predicted a reduction in school supply prices by nearly 20%, thanks to the increase in local investors. Over 25 importers have transitioned to production, raising the total number of local producers to 66, representing 15% to 20% of the national school supplies market, which was almost entirely reliant on imports in previous years. This shift has allowed Algeria to achieve self-sufficiency in several items.
Additionally, local markets have played a significant role in providing essential school supplies at lower prices compared to last year. This year, at least 182 events were launched across various municipalities nationwide, with the participation of around 1600 economic operators.
For more news, visit dzwatch.dz. Local School Supply Production in Algeria
