# Who Buys School Supplies Online in Germany?

> Adults aged 35–44 make up the largest share of back-to-school online buyers in Germany at 28.4%, ahead of the 25–34 group at 27.2% — together, these two cohorts account for more than half of all purchases.

**Period:** Jul 2025 – Aug 2026  
**Market:** DE  
**Data status:** final  
**Data as of:** 2026-08-24T06:02:55.074474+00:00  
**Sample size:** n = 3,029  
**Effective sample size:** 1,404  
**Source:** [https://www.datapods.app/en/insights/consumption/online-shopping/back-to-school-buyers-by-age-germany-2025-2026](https://www.datapods.app/en/insights/consumption/online-shopping/back-to-school-buyers-by-age-germany-2025-2026)

## Segments

- **Years:** 2025–2026
- **Platform:** purchases
- **Age groups:** 16-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-54, 55+
- **Product categories:** os, lb-1-12, lb-1-16, lb-15, el-6-6, el-6-8

## Summary

The 35–44 age band's lead reflects the life stage of German parents: most families with primary and lower-secondary school children have at least one parent in this bracket. The 25–34 cohort is likely a mix of parents of younger children and students buying their own supplies at university entry.

## Parents, not pupils, drive most back-to-school online spending

This age profile aligns with broader German household data: the typical parent of a school-age child in Germany is in their mid-30s to mid-40s. The strong showing from 25–34-year-olds also reflects Germany's growing share of younger families and early-career adults returning to education. The combined 35–44 and 25–34 share of over 55% means that back-to-school campaigns targeting Schulbedarf online kaufen should skew toward established digital channels favoured by Millennial parents — display, social, and paid search — rather than channels with heavier reach among older demographics. The 45–54 group (19.4%) likely includes parents of older secondary students buying equipment like calculators and tablets.

## Chart

Bar chart showing the population-weighted share of back-to-school online buyers in Germany by age band, covering July 2025 to August 2026. Six age groups are shown: 18–24, 25–34, 35–44, 45–54, 55–64, and 65+. The 35–44 band leads at 28.4%, followed by 25–34 at 27.2% and 45–54 at 19.4%.

## Methodology

The chart shows the age-band composition of back-to-school online buyers in Germany, weighted to reflect the adult German population. Buyers are defined as those who made at least one purchase in back-to-school categories (stationery, school bags, or laptops and tablets) during July–August 2025 or July 1–August 21, 2026. Age is calculated from birth year against 2026. The four core age bands — 18–24, 25–34, 35–44, and 45–54 — are based on population-weighted estimates with reliable precision; the 55–64 and 65+ bands rest on smaller samples and should be read as indicative rather than precise.

## Citation

Datapods (2026-08-24). *Who Buys School Supplies Online in Germany?*. Datapods Insights. https://www.datapods.app/en/insights/consumption/online-shopping/back-to-school-buyers-by-age-germany-2025-2026

## About Datapods

Datapods is a behavioral consumer-data platform. The Insights library publishes free, citable statistics derived from a panel of 25,000+ opted-in participants in Germany: observed real behavior (transactions, browsing, media), not surveys. All data is processed within the EU and is GDPR-compliant.

For brand-specific cuts, competitor benchmarks, and granular audience filters across 12,000+ tracked brands, see [https://www.datapods.app/en](https://www.datapods.app/en).