While reports suggest more people are drinking alcohol as a result of the pandemic, a new survey suggests Canadians are also smoking more pot.
Deloitte’s Global State of the Consumer Tracker has been monitoring Canadian’s anxiety levels, safety and wellbeing concerns, consumer travel sentiment, as well as new spending habits and emerging consumer personas.
The survey found 29 per cent of Canadians who consume cannabis say they are toking up more frequently than before the pandemic, while 16 per cent say they are new to pot use because of the pandemic.
More than half of Canadians (51 per cent) said that are cornered about their physical well-being, and 62 per cent are concerned about the health of their family, which is having a significant impact on spending.
In other findings, Deloitte says essential purchases remain on the minds of most consumers, such as groceries, while bigger purchases have been put on hold.
The survey found 44 per cent of Canadians are delaying making large purchases and most are still saying no to international travel.
Only 11 per cent of Canadians are actively searching for travel deals, according to the Deloitte survey, with 17 per cent stating they would feel safe taking a flight right now and six per cent planning to take a cruise over the next three months.
They remain divided on dining out with 38 per cent of Canadians preferring to order food to their homes than go to a restaurant (32 per cent.)
Over the last four weeks, the survey says Canadian respondents have seen a steady reduction in their anxiety levels, from 18 per cent of respondents feeling “more anxious than the week previous” to 1 per cent in the latest field data results on May 16.
Nearly half of Canadians (45 per cent) plan to buy more locally-sourced items going forward, even if they cost a little more.
Online purchases remain higher in the categories of footwear, books, and electronics.
Copyright Postmedia Network Inc., 2020
