Caught in inflation, half of Quebecers are wondering how they will manage to pay for Christmas presents this year.
According to a survey conducted by Angus Reid on behalf of FedEx Canada, 80% of Quebecers (85% of Canadians) agree that widespread price increases are putting a dent in their vacation budget.
In a sign of the impact of inflation, 38% of Quebecers intend to spend less this year, compared to just 14% who intend to increase their spending.
By comparison, during the same survey in 2022 — a year when inflation was also on the lips — only 20% of Quebecers planned to spend less during the holidays, a rate that practically doubled in one year.
Additionally, holiday shopping stress has increased by 10% between 2022 and 2023. It now affects 40% of the population of La Belle province.
Online shopping buoys
Canadians are therefore turning to online shopping in a big way.
“Inflation is making waves in the minds of Canadians. In the face of these economic upheavals, online shopping is proving to be an anchor for Canadians. They want to stretch every dollar of their holiday budget,” noted Ann-Marie McIntosh, vice president and corporate communications for FedEx.
So 57% of Canadians plan to do their holiday shopping online, either for simplicity (66%), time savings (59%) or easier price comparison for the same item (46%).
This amount of online ordering – and packages – will also make thieves happy. This year, 28% of Canadians (30% of Quebecers) reported having their order stolen, a rate that is increasing year over year (24% in 2022, 20% in 2021).