The consumer
- Consumer Profile
- Canada population is estimated at 37.7 million people in 2022 according to UN data. The median age of the Canadian population is 41.8 years as of 2022. 66.5% of the population is between 14 and 65 years old, 15.8% are young people and 17.6% are seniors. The number of households is increasing but their individual size is decreasing: one-person households are the most numerous, followed by couples with children. On average, there are 2.9 Canadians per household. Women are slightly more numerous (50.3%) than men. 81.3% of the population is urban, and is concentrated in the south of the country, close to the border with the United States. The main cities by population are Toronto, Montreal and Calgary. About 20% of the Canadian population are recent immigrants. The level of education is high. In Canada, 91% of adults aged 25-64 have completed upper secondary education, well above the OECD average of 78%. The occupations most represented in the population are sales and service occupations (24%), business occupations, finance and administration (16%), trades, transportation and equipment operators, and related occupations (14%).
- Purchasing Power
- According to the Word Bank, GDP per capita PPP was estimated at $ 47, 567 in 2022. In 2022, the median after-tax income was CAD 54,630, in slight decrease from its 2018 level. In Canada, the average household net-adjusted disposable income per capita is USD 34,421 a year, more than the OECD average of USD 30 490 a year. Consumer spending increased slightly in the second semester of 2020, according to Statistics Canada . Income inequality remains significant, the top 20% of the population earn about six times as much as the bottom 20%. (Gini index for Canada is 0.33, 1 representing the highest level of inequality). Women with the same experience, socio-economic and demographic background earn approximately $7,200 less annually than their male counterparts. Management occupations are the highest paid, while public utility manufacturing, sales and service trades are the lowest paid. The highest wages are in the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario, while the wages in the provinces of Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick are at lower levels.
- Consumer Behaviour
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Canada’s population has a high and diversified level of mass consumption (most of the people consume a large amount of goods and services other than satisfaction of basic needs). Purchases are mostly made in malls, mass retailers and retail parks. Neighbourhood malls are no longer popular. Consumer confidence in Canada continued to increase as it quickly approaches pre-pandemic levels. Online shopping is increasing, but Canadians tend to prefer hybrid shopping (browse online, shop in-store, order online, pick-up in-store). According to latest data provided by Statistics Canada, the total spending of Canadian online shoppers reached $32.80 billion in 2022, compared to $18.9 billion in 2012, with nearly 84% of Internet users buying goods or services online. Products distributed throughout the country are mainly produced by international brands. Immigration continues to influence consumer behaviour, especially with regards to food products, and imported products are considered to be attractive. The demand for local products “made in Canada” is a consumption trend which is still in development. The government has put in place several regulations to regulate this nascent trend. In addition, consumers have created the website Made in Canada (https://madeinca.ca) to catalogue all Canadian brands in support of the domestic economy.
Moreover, consumers are increasingly looking for custom-made solutions that fit their specific needs, nearly 80% of consumers want personalized products and services in 2022. Health concerns are rising and health awareness is growing among Canadian consumers and will continue to accelerate as the population ages. In 2019, Canadians spent an annual average of $935 per capita on health and wellness. Canadians are increasingly concerned about sustainable consumption, and the purchases of local, ethical or organic products are on the rise, especially for food and clothing. The second hand market is also growing. Canadian consumers are more willing to buy at a higher price tag if food items are more sustainable. In 2021, the trend for locally produced is particularly high among 18–24-year- olds, with 75% citing this as important, followed by 70% for organic and 55% for sustainable packaging. Collaborative platforms are increasing in popularity for accommodations (Airbnb), transport (Uber), music, crowd-funding etc. - Consumer Recourse to Credit
- Debit cards are used for medium value transactions and credit cards are used for larger transactions. Consumer credit in Canada has risen sharply since 2012, particularly for automobiles and consumer goods. The average consumer (non-mortgage) debt was CAD 8,539.50 in 2017. The most common forms of credit are cash loans for purchases paid in monthly instalments (usually large items such as furniture or cars, but also gasoline and other non-durable consumer goods). Similarly, aggregate household debt, which includes mortgages, margin loans and other forms of non-personal consumer loans, grew at an annual rate of 1.8% over the past five-year period. Borrowing has increased at a higher rate than population growth, exploding the level of indebtedness per capita. Older people accumulate debt at a faster rate than the rest of the population, except for real estate debt. However, the gradual rise in interest rates may cause a slowdown in consumer credit.
- Growing Sectors
- Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences sector, pet feeds and services, housing and cleaning services, housing maintenance and repair products, garden products, plants and flowers, recreational and sporting services, education, ready-made meals and food delivery services are growing markets. (Source: Statistics Canada)
- Consumers Associations
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Consumer Protection Office in Québec (OPC)
Alberta Consumers' Association
Consumers Council
