Canadian consumers have turned to shopping since yesterday to take advantage of Boxing Day price discounts, which occurs right after the holiday season, according to a survey published by the Canadian Council of Retail Commerce (CCCD / RCC) last fall.

This is the first time since December 2019 that Canadian consumers have been able to visit commercial establishments to benefit from post-holiday sales without being required to adhere to COVID-19 health measures that reached Canada in the first quarter of 2020.

The survey, conducted last August by Léger, a firm specializing in opinion polls and market research, published its results on October 24, indicating that most Canadians intended to spend approximately the same amount during this holiday season as they did in 2021, which is $790, despite the difficult financial situation affecting 6 out of every 10 Canadians.

While 8 out of every 10 consumers intend to buy gifts for others this year, 62% of respondents said that their shopping habits have changed over recent years, mainly due to their desire to give more meaningful gifts to fewer people. Six out of every 10 shoppers will look for more deals this year compared to previous years, and many of them will preview goods from a larger number of retailers to ensure they get the best gifts at the best prices.

It is also interesting that 6 out of every 10 consumers will also search for gifts directly in stores this year (at a higher rate than last year) in hopes of regaining the joy of holiday shopping, which had greatly attracted them before the pandemic arrived.

The survey showed that November will remain the busiest shopping month, with 35% of consumers intending to start their holiday shopping during it, and 28% intending to shop on Black Friday, the last Friday of November.

It also showed that 21% of consumers intend to shop online on Cyber Monday, the first Monday after Black Friday, or during Cyber Week.