Highlights from
Industry Canada’s
Consumer Trends Update
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Foreign Competition Increases
Major foreign retailers, such as Marshall’s, Bloomingdale’s and Nordstrom, continue to open more stores in Canada. Target, the second largest retailer in the U.S., began a record-breaking 124-store Canadian expansion in 2013.
Consumers Tighten Their Belts
Following the global economic downturn, a 2011 survey of Canadian consumers revealed changes in purchasing habits:
- 80% said they stocked up on sale items
- 77% paid closer attention to prices
- 68% eliminated impulse purchases
Concentrated Markets
Four or fewer companies control more than half the market in:
- Pharmacy and Personal Care
- Electronics and Appliances
- General Merchandise
- Home Improvement
- Grocery/Food
Bricks and Mortar Dominate
Canadians purchased $15.3 billion in goods and services online in 2010, nearly double 2005 levels, but in store transactions still accounted for 95% of all non-automotive retail sales.
Smaller Packages
Many products now come in smaller, lower priced packages but they cost more per unit
Read the Consumer Trends Update on Canada’s Changing Retail Market at: www.ic.gc.ca/consumertrends