Bookstores in Itauguá: school supplies, books and copies

To buy school supplies, books or get copies made in Itauguá, look along Ruta PY02 and in the centre near the Mercado Municipal, where the town's shops concentrate. Before you go, check what the MEC kit includes if your child attends a public or subsidised school, list what is missing and compare prices in at least three shops.

Where are the bookstores in Itauguá?

Ruta PY02 runs right through Itauguá and is its commercial strip, lined with every kind of business from pharmacies and supermarkets to hardware stores (Wikipedia⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). The centre, around the Mercado Municipal, is the town's other shopping area.

Note that on 10 May 2026 a fire destroyed 95% of the Mercado Municipal and hit 434 stalls; vendors moved to awnings set up on the street (ABC Color⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). If you used to buy from a market stall, call or check its social media to find where it is trading now.

If you live in an outlying compañía far from the highway, a neighbourhood shop near the school usually covers the basics; for textbooks or large orders, a store on the PY02 is the better bet.

What does the MEC kit include and what do you still need?

Children at public (gestión oficial) and subsidised private schools receive the Ministry of Education's school kit. In 2026 each bag came with a note listing the materials, a QR code and two phone numbers to report missing or faulty items, and MEC asked families not to buy notebooks, books or supplies the kit already covers (La Nación⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠).

In 2023 MEC also asked public-school teachers and heads not to require families to buy other supplies, photocopies or notebooks, and asked private and subsidised schools to give families the time they need to buy materials (ABC Color⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). Open the kit, compare it with the school list and buy only what is really missing.

When should you shop?

In 2026 most private schools started classes on 9 February and public schools on 23 February (La Nación⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). The weeks before are the busiest in bookstores. The consumer agency Sedeco recommends planning ahead and buying gradually from a basic list to avoid a big last-minute spend (ABC Color⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠).

How do you compare prices and quality?

Sedeco's advice applies directly in Itauguá (ABC Color⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠):

• Check what you have at home: notebooks with few pages used or unsharpened pencils from last year.
• Compare at least three shops and check items are complete and in good condition.
• Watch delivery prices: shops offering delivery and payment plans tend to be more expensive.
• Buy from formal shops and ask for an invoice (factura) so you can complain later.
• On credit: ask for the cash price, instalments, interest and total cost.

Law 1334 requires prices to be shown with taxes included and in guaraníes (Law 1334⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠).

What should you bring to avoid a second trip?

• For books: the exact title, publisher and edition, or a photo of the school list. If the shop does not have it, ask whether it can order it and how many days it takes.
• For copies and printing: the file on a USB stick or your phone; ask which formats they accept, the price per copy and whether it is ready the same day.
• For long lists: send the list by WhatsApp first and ask them to prepare it, so you only pick up and pay.

What if an item is faulty?

Go back to the shop with the invoice. If it is part of the MEC kit, use the QR code or phone numbers on the note in the bag to report it.