Back-to-school shopping season has officially arrived, and this year it comes with a familiar challenge for Canadian families: balancing growing needs with rising costs.
To get a pulse on what shoppers are experiencing, we surveyed Canadians across the country about their back-to-school plans, where they're shopping, and what's influencing their purchasing decisions.
While our full 2026 Back-to-School Report will be released next week, we wanted to share a sneak peek at some of the trends already emerging.
Canadians Expect to Spend More This Year
One of the biggest takeaways is that 40% of Canadians expect to spend more on back-to-school shopping than they did last year.
That increase isn't necessarily because families are buying more. In fact, many Canadians are simply paying more for the same essentials. With school supply lists getting longer and prices remaining elevated, parents are looking for ways to stretch every dollar.
It's no surprise, then, that:
- 68% say inflation is impacting them more this year than last year.
- Value and convenience continue to drive where Canadians choose to shop.
Where Canadians Are Shopping
Our research shows that Canadians are spreading their purchases across a mix of discount, warehouse, and office supply retailers.
The Top 5 in-store destinations are:
- Walmart
- Dollarama
- Costco
- Real Canadian Superstore
- Staples
Online shopping continues to play a major role as well, with 86% of Canadians planning to buy at least some of their back-to-school items online.
The leading online retailers include:
- Amazon
- Walmart
- Costco
- Temu
- Real Canadian Superstore
This highlights the increasingly omnichannel nature of back-to-school shopping, with consumers comparing prices and shopping wherever they find the best value.
Social Media Is Influencing Purchase Decisions
Back-to-school purchasing isn't driven solely by flyers and store displays anymore.
Our survey found that 71% of Canadians say social media influences their back-to-school shopping decisions.
The platforms having the greatest impact are:
- TikTok
For brands, this reinforces the importance of having a strong presence where shoppers are discovering products, not just where they're buying them.
Packed Lunches Are Still the Norm
One final stat that stood out:
93% of Canadian children will be bringing packed lunches or snacks to school this year.
That represents a significant opportunity for grocery brands, snack manufacturers, beverage companies, and retailers looking to connect with families during one of the busiest shopping seasons of the year.
This Is Just the Beginning...
These are only a handful of the insights from our upcoming 2026 Canadian Back-to-School Report.
Next week, we'll be releasing the full report featuring:
- What parents are planning to purchase
- How important are ratings & reviews when doing Back to School shopping
- What makes parents switch brands
- Are parents prioritizing Canadian made products
- And more!
If you market to Canadian families, sell back-to-school products, or simply want a clearer picture of how Canadians are shopping in 2026, you won't want to miss it.
Stay tuned next week for the full report!