Shoppers were seen leaving Toronto’s Eaton Centre on Boxing Day, as reports suggest younger Canadians plan to spend less and rely more on online shopping. THE CANADIAN PRESS
Across Canada, shoppers bundled up and headed out on Boxing Day, determined to catch post-holiday deals despite bitter cold and crowded malls. In Winnipeg, long lines formed early outside stores at the Polo Park shopping centre, where finding parking proved nearly as challenging as navigating the packed walkways inside.
Shayla Mitchelson, 24, stood outside an overfilled Bath & Body Works store after spending close to three hours searching for a parking spot. She said the experience felt exhausting but worthwhile.
“It’s not necessarily that there’s the greatest discounts happening this year. In fact, I love doing almost all of my shopping online,” said Ms. Mitchelson. “But some things – like candles and soaps and things of that nature – you really just have to get in person, especially when there’s holiday bargains involved.”
Spending Trends Show Mixed Picture
Early spending figures suggest Canadians opened their wallets more this holiday season than in recent years, with shopping habits slowly returning to levels seen before the pandemic. Many experts expect Boxing Day sales to reflect that trend, though not evenly across all age groups.
Younger shoppers appear more cautious. Reports suggest they plan to spend less overall and rely more on online deals. At the same time, analysts expect store revenue to rise slightly compared with last year, even if fewer items sell.
Shoppers Focus on Discounts
Retail consultant Bruce Winder said many Canadians now plan purchases carefully. Higher living costs, job worries, and uncertainty around trade with the United States have pushed shoppers to wait for sales.
“Canadians appear to be sort of shopping almost only when things are on sale these days,” he said.
He also noted that buying Canadian-made products, a trend promoted earlier this year, does not play a major role for many shoppers.
“It really is a bit of a luxury for some people,” he said. “If you’re more on the downward slope of the economy, you might want to buy Canadian, but, unfortunately, you can’t. You have to buy the least expensive item regardless of where it is made.”
Similar Scenes in Ontario
In Guelph, Ont., crowds filled Stone Road Mall as shoppers searched for bargains. Chelsea Miller, 33, said store ownership did not factor into her choices.
“When I’m shopping sales, I don’t typically know if a product is Canadian until I’ve decided to purchase something,” she said.
Nearby, Vickie Isnor, 44, shopped with her mother and daughter, continuing a long-standing Boxing Day tradition. Asked why they came out in harsh weather, they answered together: “It is the sales.”
Ms. Isnor said discounts allow them to buy items they normally avoid before Christmas due to high prices.
Mixed Feelings About Buying Canadian
Back in Winnipeg, Ms. Mitchelson shared a similar view.
“Don’t get me wrong. It’s definitely a bonus,” she said. “But the thing is, when I came here today, I started seeing the bigger discounts at some very specific stores.”
Not everyone agreed. John Friesen, 42, said he felt disappointed while shopping for deals.
“But for all that talk we had about buying Canadian and elbows up and all that, I think it’s funny that American stores can bring so many of us back so quickly by dangling just a few sales our way.”
