Canada Back to School Shopping Market Report 2022
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Description
“The initial surge of school-related purchases in the spring of 2020 has continued to impact how consumers shop as well as what they buy, even two years later. The extended uncertainty around whether students will be learning in classrooms or from home has forced students to be prepared for either scenario. Online shopping is the preferred method for four in 10 back to school shoppers and these online transactions are expected to continue to grow, even as the pandemic wanes.”
– Meghan Ross, Senior Home & Beauty Analyst
This report covers the following issues:
- The impact of COVID-19 on back to school shopping
- Market factors influencing back to school shopping
- Retailers used for back to school shopping
- Supplies purchased for school
- Typical back to school shopping timing
- Consumer attitudes related to back to school shopping
Table of Contents
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Overview
- What you need to know
- Key issues covered in this Report
- What you need to know
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Executive Summary
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- Top takeaways
- Market overview
- Impact of COVID-19 on back to school shopping
- Figure 1: Short-, medium- and longer-term impact of COVID-19 on back to school shopping, December 2021
- Opportunities and challenges
- Adult education and skill upgrading will offer new opportunities
- Greater involvement from children can help grow the category
- Facilitate charitable giving
- Economic pressures will force consumers to seek value
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Market Factors
- Impact of COVID-19 on back to school shopping
- School supply requirements shifted as learning went virtual
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- Figure 2: Staples Canada Instagram post, August 2021
- Figure 3: Staples Canada Instagram post, August 2021
- Pandemic-related job changes will encourage upgraded skills
- Figure 4: Postsecondary enrolments, 2006/2007 – 2019/2020
- Figure 5: Staples Canada Instagram post, August 2021
- The pandemic has increased the frequency of online shopping
- Figure 6: Retail ecommerce sales, January 2019 – October 2021
- Figure 7: Method of receiving online purchases in the past 12 months, by parental status, 2021
- Canada’s declining birth rates will see fewer children attending school
- Figure 8: Total births, 1991-2020
- Impact of COVID-19 on back to school shopping
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Competitive Strategies
- Values and beliefs will drive product and retailer choices
- Figure 9: Mintel Trend Driver: Rights
- Figure 10: Staples Canada Instagram post, September 2021
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- Figure 11: Staples Canada Instagram post, August 2021
- Figure 12: Blueland Instagram post, September 2020
- Values and beliefs will drive product and retailer choices
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Market Opportunities
- Brands should not forget about ‘non-traditional’ back to school categories
- Figure 13: Walmart Canada Instagram post, August 2021
- Figure 14: Art Gallery Fabrics Instagram post, January 2022
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- Figure 15: The Junction Fair Instagram post, January 2022
- Figure 16: Goodfood Canada Instagram post, August 2021
- This ‘new normal’ should be acknowledged as a time of transition and growth
- Figure 17: Turn the Page, August 2021
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- Figure 18: Indigo Instagram post, September 2021
- Brands should not forget about ‘non-traditional’ back to school categories
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The Consumer – Key Takeaways
- Half of Canadians plan to shop for back to school
- Retailer choice differs based on who needs supplies
- Expect more school supplies to be purchased online
- Apparel and school supplies are at the top of shoppers’ lists
- Back to school shoppers are aiming to be the teacher’s pet by starting their lists early
- Parents are including kids in the back to school shopping process
- Half of Canadians plan to shop for back to school
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Back to School Shopping Intentions
- Half of Canadians plan to shop for back to school
- Figure 19: Back to school shopping intentions, 2021
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- Figure 20: Those who planned back to school shopping for children, moms vs dads, 2021
- Younger adults are most likely to be students themselves
- Figure 21: Those who planned back to school shopping for themselves, by age, 2021
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- Figure 22: Those who planned back to school shopping for children (net), by age, 2021
- Shopping intent is stronger among BIPOC Canadians
- Figure 23: Those who planned back to school shopping, by race, 2021
- Income levels impact back to school shopping intent
- Figure 24: Those who planned back to school shopping, by household income, 2021
- Back to school shopping is a near universal task for parents
- Figure 25: Those who planned back to school shopping for children, by child’s age, 2021
- Half of Canadians plan to shop for back to school
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Retailers Used for Back to School Shopping
- Three quarters of back to school shoppers rely on mass merchandisers
- Figure 26: Retailers planned to visit for back to school shopping, 2021
- Shoppers are visiting multiple stores for school supplies
- Figure 27: Number of retailers planned to visit for back to school shopping, 2021
- Retailer choice differs based on who needs supplies
- Figure 28: Retailers planned to visit for back to school shopping, those shopping for kids only vs those shopping for themselves only, 2021
- Men and women mainly rely on similar retailers
- Figure 29: Retailers planned to visit for back to school shopping (select), men vs women, 2021
- Younger shoppers are more likely to venture online
- Figure 30: Those who planned to visit a mass merchandiser for back to school shopping, 18-44s vs over-45s, 2021
- South Asian shoppers are more reliant on electronic retailers for back to school supplies
- Figure 31: Those who planned to visit electronics stores for back to school shopping, overall vs South Asians*, 2021
- Certain retailer types attract higher income shoppers
- Figure 32: Retailers planned to visit for back to school shopping (select), by household income, 2021
- The evolving needs of older students help dictate retailer choice
- Figure 33: Retailers planned to visit for back to school shopping (select), by age of child, 2021
- Smaller communities are relying more heavily on mass merchants
- Figure 34: Retailers planned to visit for back to school shopping (select), by community size, 2021
- Three quarters of back to school shoppers rely on mass merchandisers
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Online Back to School Shopping Plans
- Expect more school supplies to be purchased online
- Figure 35: Online back to school shopping planned compared to previous years, 2021
- Health concerns are impacting online shopping intentions
- Figure 36: Those planning more online back to school shopping compared to previous years, by COVID-19 exposure worry level, 2021
- Younger men are most enthusiastic about online school shopping
- Figure 37: Online back to school shopping planned compared to previous years, men vs women, 2021
- Convenience is likely driving online purchases among parents with young children
- Figure 38: Those planning more online back to school shopping compared to previous years, by age of children, 2021
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- Figure 39: Walmart Canada Instagram post, August 2021
- Expect more school supplies to be purchased online
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Planned School Supply Purchases
- Apparel and school supplies are at the top of shoppers’ lists
- Figure 40: Planned and past purchases of school supplies, 2021
- Young men show heightened interest in electronic purchases for school
- Figure 41: School supply categories planned to purchase, men vs women, 2021
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- Figure 42: School supply categories planned to purchase, including last year’s purchases, men vs women, 2021
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- Figure 43: Select school supply categories planned to purchase, by age and gender, 2021
- Parents’ back to school lists are longer
- Figure 44: Staples Canada Instagram post, August 2021
- Figure 45: Select school supply categories planned to purchase, by parental status, 2021
- Shoppers with tighter budgets are trying to conserve
- Figure 46: Select school supply categories planned to purchase, by perceived financial health, 2021
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- Figure 47: Gap Kids Instagram post, September 2021
- Apparel and school supplies are at the top of shoppers’ lists
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Typical Back to School Shopping Timing
- Back to school shoppers are aiming to be the teacher’s pet by starting their lists early
- Figure 48: Typical timing of back to school shopping, 2021
- Parents of younger children are eager to get the process started
- Figure 49: Typical timing of back to school shopping, those shopping for kids only vs those shopping only for themselves, 2021
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- Figure 50: Amazon Instagram post, July 2021
- Figure 51: Typical timing of back to school shopping, 18-44s vs over-45s, 2021
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- Figure 52: Staples Canada Instagram post, August 2021
- Figure 53: Typical timing of back to school shopping, by child’s age, 2021
- Budget considerations impact when shoppers purchase items for school
- Figure 54: Typical timing of back to school shopping, by perceived financial health, 2021
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- Figure 55: Crayola Instagram post, September 2021
- Regional differences exist when it comes to back to school shopping timing
- Figure 56: Typical timing of back to school shopping, by region, 2021
- Back to school shoppers are aiming to be the teacher’s pet by starting their lists early
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Children’s Involvement in Back to School Shopping
- Parents are including kids in in the back to school shopping process
- Figure 57: Children’s involvement with back to school shopping, 2021
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- Figure 58: Children’s involvement with back to school shopping (% any agree), by perceived financial health, 2021
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- Figure 59: Walmart Canada Instagram post, August 2021
- Figure 60: Crayola Instagram post, August 2021
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- Figure 61: ‘I let my children choose most items’ (% any agree), by child’s age, 2021
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- Figure 62: ‘I view it as a time to bond with my children’ (% any agree), by child’s age, 2021
- Parents are including kids in in the back to school shopping process
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Back to School Shopping Attitudes and Behaviours
- Sales events help drive purchases, but shoppers are not solely focused on seeking out deals
- Figure 63: Agreement with back to school shopping trip attitudes and behaviours, 2021
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- Figure 64: Agreement with back to school shopping attitudes and behaviours, 2021
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- Figure 65: Staples Canada Instagram post, August 2021
- Figure 66: Amazon Instagram post, July 2021
- Younger men seek greater efficiency when school shopping
- Figure 67: Agreement with back to school shopping attitudes and behaviours (% any agree), men vs women, 2021
- Affluent shoppers are more likely than budget shoppers to prefer online shopping
- Figure 68: Agreement with back to school shopping attitudes and behaviours (select) (% any agree), by perceived financial health, 2021
- Parents want to set their kids up well
- Figure 69: Agreement with back to school shopping attitudes and behaviours (select) (% any agree), by parental status, 2021
- Sales events help drive purchases, but shoppers are not solely focused on seeking out deals
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Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
- Data sources
- Consumer survey data
- Mintel Trend Drivers
- Abbreviations
- Data sources
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