70% of Irish parents feel pressured to provide tech for school, with 88% concerned about rising costs.
A new survey reveals the financial stress parents experience during back-to-school season, with 88% of people worried about year-on-year increases in tech prices.
The majority (79%) of respondents to the study by Refurbed feel pressured to provide tech for educational purposes, reflecting a notable increase from last year.
“This financial pressure impacts the majority of families, particularly with tech becoming increasingly essential in education”
70% of Irish people are more likely to purchase refurbished tech for back-to-school when made aware of the financial and environmental benefits, up from 68% last year.
The survey examines the requirement for tech in a school setting, the associated financial strain, and parents’ likelihood of purchasing a refurbished device.
Tech in education
Pádraig Power, Senior Marketing Manager: Global Operations & Ireland at Refurbed
The growing necessity for tech in education was highlighted, with 79% of people indicating that they require an electronic device for school or educational purposes, a 4% increase from a similar survey conducted by refurbed this time last year. Such devices could include a tablet, phone, or laptop.
Increased financial pressure on families was also noted, with a 13% rise in feelings of pressure to provide technology for education. 27% of parents seek financial aid to afford the necessary devices, the same figure as 2023, highlighting the ongoing strain on families’ budgets year-on-year.
When asked about the preferred condition of an electronic device for education, 70% of respondents said that they are more likely to purchase a refurbished tech device for school or university when made aware of the financial and sustainable benefits of purchasing refurbished tech, marking a 2% increase from 2023.
Refurbished tech also now steals market share from new tech for Irish educational purposes, rising by 5% year-on-year, vs an 8% drop in Irish parents buying new tech. Falling far behind in third place is second-hand tech, with Irish parents over three times likely to choose refurbished devices. This represents Irish consumers’ growing appetite for sustainable products, particularly when offered substantial cost savings during an increasingly expensive time of the year.
Cost of living crisis
The survey also revealed parents’ spending plans for their back-to-school budget: 21% are ready to pay between €101 and €200, 27% between €201-€300, 17% between €300-€400, 15% between €400-€500 and 16% open to purchasing a device for over €500. Tech spending constitutes a large portion of parents’ back-to-school budgets, which also cover costs of uniforms, books, transport, and insurance.
“The continued cost of living crisis becomes even more pertinent during the back-to-school season,” explained Pádraig Power, Senior Marketing Manager: Global Operations & Ireland at Refurbed.
“This financial pressure impacts the majority of families, particularly with tech becoming increasingly essential in education. We are pleased to offer an more affordable solution to parents, to help ease their cost of living efforts. We enable parents to save up to 40% on devices for school or university which can constitute a cost saving of upwards of over €1,000 per child in some cases, while also making a positive environmental impact by contributing to the circular economy.”
Power said that to date, Irish customers have saved 270,000 tonnes of CO2, 900 tonnes of e-waste, and 95 billion litres of water from buying refurbished devices.
“The refurbished tech sector in Ireland is experiencing massive growth. As consumers become more aware of the negative effects of electronic waste, while being presented with budget friendly and environmentally sound alternatives, we are proud to provide them with a sustainable choice; both financially and environmentally.”
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