For years, Dollarama has been viewed as the place Canadians go to stretch their budgets. While affordability remains one of its biggest strengths, today's Dollarama shopper is far more diverse than many brands realize.
Our latest research reveals that Dollarama has become a mainstream shopping destination, attracting Canadians across virtually every income level while encouraging more frequent visits and larger basket sizes than ever before.
Here are some of the biggest takeaways:
Dollarama Has Become a Truly Universal Retailer
One of the most striking findings is just how broad Dollarama's appeal has become.
Across every income bracket, approximately 95–96% of Canadians reported shopping at Dollarama within the past 60 days.
That includes:
- Lower income households: 96%
- Lower-middle income households: 96%
- Upper-middle income households: 96%
- Upper income households: 95%
This challenges the long-held perception that Dollarama primarily serves budget-conscious consumers. Instead, it has evolved into a retailer that appeals to nearly every Canadian household.
For brands, that means Dollarama is no longer simply a discount channel—it's a mass-market opportunity.
Nearly Every Canadian Household Shops There
Overall, 96% of Canadian households visited Dollarama during the past 60 days.
Very few retailers enjoy this level of household penetration.
When a retailer reaches this many Canadians, it becomes increasingly important for brands to understand what shoppers are purchasing, how often they're visiting, and where new opportunities exist.
Canadians Are Visiting More Often
Shopping frequency is increasing as well.
Our research found that:
37% of shoppers say they're visiting Dollarama more frequently in 2025 than they did in 2024.
That increase isn't simply driven by inflation. Canadians have become more comfortable using Dollarama for everyday purchases, seasonal shopping, household essentials, and impulse purchases.
As visit frequency grows, so do the opportunities for brands to capture attention.
Basket Sizes Continue to Grow
The average Dollarama shopping trip now totals:
$23.96
While individual items remain inexpensive, shoppers are clearly filling their baskets with multiple products during each visit.
This creates opportunities for cross-category purchases and impulse buying that many manufacturers may overlook.
Dollarama Shoppers Visit Multiple Locations
Another interesting finding is that the average shopper visits:
2.7 unique Dollarama stores over a 60-day period.
This suggests many Canadians shop near home, work, while travelling, or whenever a Dollarama is conveniently located.
For brands, consistent execution across locations becomes increasingly important since shoppers are encountering multiple stores, not just their neighbourhood location.
Where Brands See the Biggest Growth Opportunities
We also asked shoppers where they would like to see Dollarama expand.
Nearly half (48%) said they would like more refrigerated and frozen grocery options.
Other recurring themes included:
- Better grocery assortments
- More health and beauty products
- More national brands
- Improved product quality perception
These responses highlight areas where both Dollarama and consumer packaged goods brands may find new opportunities as the retailer continues to evolve.
What Canadians Are Buying
The most commonly purchased categories include:
- Snacks & candy (76%)
- Seasonal items (73%)
- Party supplies (65%)
- Household products (55%)
- Pantry grocery items (47%)
These categories continue to drive traffic while reinforcing Dollarama's role as a destination for both planned purchases and impulse buying.
There's even more insights in the full report, which you can read here: Decoding the Dollarama Opportunity