It seems that Canadians will be spending the same amount this holiday season despite steep increases at checkouts online and in person.
Last year, Canucks spent around $790 during the Christmas season according to the Retail Council of Canada (RCC).
Close to 2,500 Canadians were asked about their anticipated spending for this year and eight in 10 said they’ll be buying gifts this year. While six in 10 said they will be looking for more deals.
More than half of respondents indicated that online shopping had lost a bit of its appeal during the lockdowns of the pandemic, with more people interested in doing more in-person shopping in hopes to spark that holiday feeling again and many are expected to start shopping in November. 74 per cent of people asked said they feel it is important to shop locally, and 42 per cent plan to shop at local retailers this year.
When it comes to celebrations, RCC is anticipating that many Canadians will be spending most of their holiday budgets on consumables, like holiday parties and events. The top categories are food, alcohol, candies, or sweets for entertaining (16 per cent vs 12 per cent in 2021), clothing (16 per cent for 2022 & 2021), food & beverage services (11 per cent vs 7 per cent in 2021) and toys (10 per cent in both 2022 & 2021).
The people of Quebec are set to spend less than the rest of Canada, with an average of $588 versus $790 like the rest of the country. However, British Columbia expects to spend the most at $887, while Atlantic Canada second highest at $874, Ontario at $873 then Alberta at $856 and Manitoba & Saskatchewan spending around $608 this year.
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