KOCHI: June is here and so is the new academic year. Children are excited about the last round of shopping before the schools reopen. As traders in Kochi stock items anticipating a last-minute rush, new trends in bags and umbrellas are attracting customers in hordes.

“Usually the sale begins at the start of May. The bags priced below Rs 1,000 have many takers. Children are attracted to bags with cartoon characters like Dora, Barbie, Avengers, Pikachu, Captain America, Spiderman and other Marvel characters. As for umbrellas, laser umbrellas are ruling the market now.

When the umbrella opens, multicolour laser lights give the shaft a different hue. Another brand which attracts children is the one which offers a remote control car free of cost. For children above 10 years, bags with rain covers are in demand. Raincoats with Dora and Barbie are the favourites for kindergarten children,” says Savad, an employee of Bag Zone at Broadway." The bags priced at Rs 650-750 are the most sold now," says Mahroof, of City Bag House in Broadway.

Plastic on its way out

The schools have banned using plastic tiffin boxes and water bottles. Naturally, these items are on their way out. "Steel tiffin boxes and water bottles are selling like hot cakes. The price of lightweight tiffin boxes start at `100 and the most sold ones are in the range of Rs 150-Rs 200. Even in water bottles, the mid-range ones are sold more," says Reji, an employee of Anjali Marketing, Broadway. As for pencil boxes, pouches have replaced them. "Because they are easy to carry," says a shop owner at Fort Kochi.
A dull season

Most vendors say the season didn't turn out to be as fruitful as they expected. Though May is one of the busiest and productive months, the scene is different this year. "The arrival of malls and harsh climate have played spoilsport this year. However, the situation has been better for the last three days.

The introduction of GST too took the sheen away, say, shop owners. "Business was good till GST was introduced," says a vendor. According to them, the sale has plummeted by at least 50 per cent as compared to the last year.