As some schools across the country moved from remote back to in-person learning this spring, a “Back-to-School” type of demand for certain products was evident over the first four months of 2021, according to a retail analysis shared by The NPD Group.

Plenty of back-to-school demand is still expected for the fall, anticipates Beth Goldstein, accessories and footwear industry analyst at NPD, noting that two-thirds of consumers with children between the ages of 5 and 18 expect to start the upcoming school year in classrooms again, a percentage that will likely increase as time goes on and more information about school plans is released.

“Assuming that the majority of kids go back to school in-person, which seems likely, consumers should be ready to spend again on back-to-school needs,” notes Goldstein.

With many children remaining at home for the start of this past school year, the traditional back-to-school shopping season was put on hold, for the most part. However, as some students began to return to school after the holidays, traditional back-to-school categories, including backpacks, children’s shoes, and apparel, experienced a back-to-school sales lift.

There is likely to be a longer, more drawn-out fall shopping season coming up, as students return to the classroom. Goldstein says. “We could see both an early and a late boost this year.”