Staples Canada Makes it Easy to Save in Style this Back-to-School Season with the Newest Supplies and Technology

Company Announces Great Back-to-School Savings and Top Products

TORONTO, July 3, 2012 /CNW/ - Staples, Inc. (NASDAQ: SPLS), the world's largest office products company and top retail destination for back-to-school, launches the season in style with the newest product trends and guaranteed savings on core supplies.  As the back-to-school leader, Staples offers an amazing assortment of designs and essentials throughout the season to fit the needs of students from kindergarten to college and university.

"Canadian families are looking forward to the back-to-school season and want school supplies that add a fun, creative touch at a great value," said Steve Matyas, president, Staples Canada. "Staples makes it easy for parents and students to shop and save with the latest technology offerings, exclusive designs and must-have supplies."

This year's top trends and products for back-to-school include:

1.	From Sweet to Sci-Fi - Staples is leading the way with the newest trends for the back-to-school season! Distinct and colourful themes will be featured on products ranging from exclusive-patterned Staples BETTER Binders to mix-and-match notebooks, pencil pouches and other basics ($1.00 to $8.79).  These themes include Sugar Rush with vibrant candy-coloured hues and Graphic Fantastic showcasing a return to the retro 80's sci-fi era.
2.	Launch into Windows 8 - Consumers who buy qualifying Windows 7-based PCs can get Windows 8 Pro for $14.99 from Microsoft. For an extra $10, when you buy a computer setup, Staples will install & configure your Windows 8 operating system which includes 15 minutes of training and answering any questions you may have. See our qualified EasyTech professionals in store for more details.
3.	Food for Thought - Students can power their learning with nutritious lunches packed in colourful lunch bags guaranteed to place them at the head of the class. With delicious bites served up in the brightly-coloured Built NY lunch bags ($12.98-$19.98), or the whimsically patterned Fun lunch bags ($9.98) and personalized water bottles ($9.98), lunch time is sure to be a fun and stylish affair.
4.	Bring on the Backpacks - Show your fashion sense with cool backpacks! Get sporty with CCM, Hockey Canada, Puma and Reebok-branded backpacks ($19.98 - $49.98). Stay on trend with cool fashion colours featured in Roots, Sketchers, Point Zero, Dudley, and Hollywood backpacks ($19.98 - $59.98). For the superhero fan, Staples carries Superman and Batman-themed backpacks ($19.98) and a Cagefighter backpack ($29.98) for MMA fans. Budding musicians can strike the right note with a backpack featuring The Beatles, The Who, AC/DC or KISS! ($19.98).
5.	Love Your Locker - Stand out in style with this season's hottest locker accessories, like The Kit ($14.98), from Dudley.  Featuring fashion-inspired colours and patterns, and packed with a dry erase marker, dry erase board, calendar, mirror, cork board with thumb tacks and a Dudley combination lock, it has everything you need to keep your locker organized and looking its best.  Decorate from top to bottom with magnetic accessories, or go bold with Dudley Locker Matts ($7.98), available in four bright colours and designed to fit a standard locker size. Secure your personal belongings in your locker with fun-coloured Dudley Cyclone Combination Locks ($9.98).
6.	A New Dimension - Make a statement with products that pop! Listen to your favourite tunes and stand out with kid-friendly Crayola Earbuds available in a range of bright colours ($14.99) or Disney Earbuds ($19.99) and headphones ($29.99) featuring your favourite Disney friends. Bring a stylish twist to pen and paper with fashion notebooks like the contemporary Hilroy Silhoutte Case-Made notebook ($5.80). Take a bite out of math problems with the Staples 8-Digit Display Apple Calculator ($1.98), or add a futuristic touch to long-division with the Staples Xeno Retractable Pens ($6.40); with a high tech design and vivid writing style, they're a perfect addition to any pencil case.
7.	Let Your Wild Side Shine - Go on a school safari with animal print tools exclusive to Staples, including the bold Westcott kids 5" scissors in colourful zebra design ($2.98), or add a touch of the wild with colourful zebra-patterned Wild Safari Notebooks ($3.00) or fashion-trimmed poly two pocket folders ($1.72).
8.	Fun, Fictional Flash Drives -  From The Simpsons, Family Guy, and Looney Tunes to skateboard USBs, students can transport files with their favourite characters priced $14.98 - $19.98, all exclusive to Staples. Or for a standard USB, get Lexar's 3 pack 8GB Twist Turn USB ($16.98) - that's only $5.66 each!
9.	Fashionable Tots - Send your youngest students off to school in style with colourful and durable backpacks and lunch bags like Disney Princess, Fairies and Cars backpack and lunch bag combos ($16.98). Help them organize their Staples Coloured Pencils ($4.25), and Crayola Colossal Collection Thin Tip Washable Markers ($7.95) with fun coloured pencil cases. If your little one is a budding Monet, he or she is sure to love the Staedtler Watercolour Pencils ($16.96), and the Hilroy Construction Paper pad ($3.15).
10.	Don't Forget Mom! - The exclusive Martha Stewart Home Office™ with Avery™ product line helps moms stay organized in style.  Avoid dinnertime dilemmas and plan school lunches with the Martha Stewart weekly planner ($4.99 and up) - an adhesive dry erase weekly planner for the fridge.  Organize kids' artwork, school documents, and other papers with Martha Stewart colour coding files and labels ($3.99 and up) or plan projects, coordinate family schedules and keep track of important appointments with Martha Stewart planning binders and accessories ($1.99 and up).
11.	Erudite Ergonomics - Making sure you have the right-sized backpack can help avoid injuries. The Hilroy Five Star backpacks come in three different sizes - small, medium and large - and are designed with ergonomic shoulder straps to ensure even distribution of weight and to sit on the correct spot on your back ($49.98). If carrying a backpack isn't an option, Staples has alternative solutions such as the Heys Wheeled backpack ($49.98).

From basic essentials to way-cool supplies, Staples has students covered for the back-to-school season. For more news and photos throughout the Back-to-School season, or media inquiries, please contact Alessandra Saccal at [email protected].

About Staples Canada

Staples, Canada's largest office products company, is committed to providing Canadians with a wide choice of office services and products. Serving all types of business—from the small home office to large enterprise—Staples makes it easy for customers to operate their offices efficiently and affordably by offering an extensive selection of office supplies, technology, electronics and office furniture as well as business services, including computer repair and maintenance, and copy and print services. Operating as Bureau en Gros^MC in the province of Quebec and Staples Canada in all other provinces, the company employs over 15,000 associates at 330+ stores and at their head office in Richmond Hill, Ontario. Ranked as one of Canada's top ten Canadian companies in Marketing Magazine's Marketing/Leger 2011 Corporate Reputation Survey, Staples/Bureau en Gros is dedicated to offering customers the highest level of service, whether they choose to shop in-store, by catalogue or online. Staples Canada/Bureau en Gros also is invested in a number of corporate giving programs that actively support environmental, educational and entrepreneurial initiatives in Canadian communities from coast to coast. Visit www.staples.ca for more information, or visit us on Facebook and Twitter.

Alessandra Saccal-Tremblay
Communications, Canada
STAPLES CANADA
[phone] x2363
[email protected]

Monika Rola
Account Director
Argyle Communications
[phone] x240
[email protected]