Officeworks reveals BTS shopping trends

Big name brands among the top sellers.

Officeworks has revealed the top shopping trends emerging as families, teachers and students gear up for the 2026 school year, with early data showing strong demand for classic classroom essentials, creative supplies and teachers’ most‑trusted tools.

During January, Officeworks customers purchased more than 200,000 Bostik Glue Sticks, making it one of the most popular items in school desks across Australia.

The Studymate Mega Monster Scrapbook, Casio fx‑82AU PLUS II Scientific Calculator and Staedtler Natural Graphic Pencils (HB) were also among the top sellers.

Teacher‑focused products are also proving to be in high demand, with whiteboard markers, Bostik Blu Tack and laminating pouches topping the list of items teachers are purchasing outside of standard school lists.

Officeworks general manager merchandise Tim Lane said: “We know back-to-school can be a big moment for families - and it can be expensive and overwhelming. So, we’ve worked hard to keep the classic, everyday essentials that pop up on booklists around the country affordable, with many items starting from just 10 cents.”

BTS trends at Officeworks:

In just one week, Australians bought enough glue sticks to supply more than 7000 classrooms, assuming 30 students per class.
Lunchtime is the peak BTS shopping hour at Officeworks, with more customers visiting stores around midday than any other time of day.
Despite the rise of tech in classrooms, scrapbooks remain one of the most-purchased BTS items nationally, with the Studymate Mega Monster Scrapbook selling 17x more units than the closest tech product Keji Headphones, last week.
HB pencils continue to dominate over all other grades, accounting for the majority of pencil sales. -
Blue pens are still the most popular writing colour, though more and more customers are opting for assorted sets with blue, black and red.

Date Published:

28 January 2026