This article written in french by Nicholas Pereira was automatically translated using AI
A new study by Lightspeed Commerce Inc., a commerce and point-of-sale platform, revealed that 85% of Canadians already prioritize buying local.
Indeed, these same respondents say they shop Canadian or plan to do so. Additionally, 62% consider it essential to support the local tourism economy.
In Quebec, 90% of local consumers say they would continue buying Canadian even without U.S. customs tariffs. Moreover, 75% believe that retailers should remove American products from their shelves.
Also in the province, 45% of respondents say they are willing to pay more to buy local. However, 77% mention that the price difference should not exceed 10%.
The study also notes that 53% of Quebecers read labels to check the origin of products, and 69% of those surveyed plan to avoid travel to the U.S. this summer.
American Boycott
Across the country, 87% of respondents prefer or plan to prefer Canadian-made products this year. This movement is especially strong among Generation Z, with 89% sharing this view.
Conversely, 78% of Canadians are currently avoiding or plan to avoid major American retailers in the country—such as Walmart, McDonald’s, or Amazon—in favor of Canadian alternatives this summer.
Nationwide, 78% of respondents support Canadian retailers removing American products from their shelves. Even if customs duties were removed, 88% say they would still choose Canadian products.
Respondents remain cautious, however, about brands that capitalize on the local trend without genuine grounding. In fact, 50% suspect some brands of being misleading, even though most are seen as honest.
31% believe that some companies engage in “Canadian-washing” to boost sales.
It’s also worth noting that 69% believe that food and grocery products are the easiest to buy locally in Canada, while 40% find that Canadian-made electronics are the hardest to find.
Traveling Locally
Travel habits also reflect this shift in Canadian priorities. Already, 67% say they would readily recommend Canadian destinations to others.
Also, 63% of respondents plan to travel within Canada, and 58% believe it is important to support the local tourism economy.
51% say tax incentives would encourage them to travel domestically.
Finally, the Lightspeed survey reveals that real or even threatened tariffs deter 70% of Canadians from traveling to the U.S.; 48% are completely avoiding such trips and 18% will try to avoid them. (N.P.)
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