Bookstores in Concepción: school supplies, books and copies

For school supplies, textbooks and photocopies in Concepción, start in the centre: the historic core is about 25 blocks of straight streets (Visit Paraguay⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠) and easy to cover on foot in a morning, so you can compare several bookshops without moving the car. Keep the school list on your phone, buy in stages and ask for an invoice. If your child attends a public or subsidised school, wait for the MEC kit before buying.

What's in the MEC kit and what do you buy yourself?

The education ministry (MEC) gives supply kits to public and subsidised schools. In 2026 there were 23 individual kit types by level, each in a bag with a contents list for families to check, plus a QR code or WhatsApp line to report missing or damaged items (Última Hora⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠).

• At public schools, MEC asked teachers and principals not to request other supplies and not to require photocopies or notebooks (ABC Color, 2023⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). Buy only what's missing.
• At private or subsidised schools, MEC asked them to give families enough time to get supplies. If the list is long, ask what's needed in the first week and leave the rest for later.

How much does back-to-school cost?

As a national reference, in February 2026 the parents' federation Fedapar estimated (InfoNegocios⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠):

Item · Amount

Total per pupil at a subsidised private school · from G. 1,200,000

Supplies at a private school · G. 2,500,000 to G. 5,000,000

3rd-grade textbook (Maths, Communication and similar) · G. 103,000 to G. 140,000 per subject

English or Guaraní textbook · G. 75,000 to G. 85,000

All 3rd-grade textbooks · G. 650,000 to G. 750,000

By these numbers, textbooks are the heaviest part. Ask the school whether earlier editions or second-hand copies are accepted before buying new.

How to save without hassle

The consumer agency Sedeco's tips for school supplies still hold (ABC Color⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠):

• Check what you already have from last year.
• Buy gradually to avoid one big last-minute spend.
• Compare prices in at least three shops and check items are complete and in good condition.
• Buy from formal shops and ask for a factura (invoice), so you can complain later if needed.
• Avoid loans. If you pay in instalments, they must tell you the cash price, interest, number of instalments and total (ABC Color⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠).

What if the book isn't available in Concepción?

• Place an order: bring the exact title, author, publisher and, if you have it, the ISBN. Ask how long it takes and whether a deposit is needed.
• If it comes from Asunción by Correo Paraguayo: the standard domestic rate published in October 2025 was G. 5,500 up to 500 g and G. 10,000 up to 1.5 kg, with delivery taking at least 2 to 3 working days (La Nación⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠).
• Phone orders with delivery: consumer law Ley 1334 gives seven days to withdraw when the contract was made outside the premises, especially by phone or at your home, as long as the item is unused and undamaged (Ley 1334, art. 26⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠).

What to bring for copies and printing

• The file as a PDF on a USB stick or a cloud link, so the layout doesn't break.
• How many copies, single or double-sided, and whether you want it bound.
• For big jobs, send the file ahead by WhatsApp and ask the price and when it'll be ready.

When is it busiest, and how do you pay?

• February is peak season: in 2026 most private schools started on 9 February (La Nación⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠) and public schools on the 23rd (Hoy⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). Shop in January if you can.
• 25 May: the city's anniversary; in 2026 the municipal council declared a local holiday that day (ABC Color⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). Check opening hours before going.
• Payment: QR is now the most used electronic method, at 68.1% of payments according to Bancard (ABC Color⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). Carry some cash for small photocopy jobs.