Consumers can save an average of $47.52 on their back-to-school shopping sprees if they buy private label offerings rather than name brands, says the Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA) in a new study.

The model back-to-school shopping basket examined by PLMA includes 40 back-to- items. The items that saved consumers the most money when private label options were purchased include 120-page notebooks, pencils, glue sticks, ice cream and maple syrup.

Buying private label for 23 of the 40 items meant savings, the survey found. Some national brands were priced below store brands in four instances, fruit gel cups, juice boxes, zipper bags and canned tuna.

The study was conducted in grocery stores throughout the Northeast during the months of August and September.

PLMA routinely does such season-specific shopping comparison studies to champion the purchase of private label.