TORONTO, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) 鈥 As the country prepares to celebrate Canada Day, new research from Horizon Media Canada confirms a powerful consumer shift toward local loyalty鈥攐ne that is reshaping purchase behaviour across provinces and generations. According to the firm鈥檚 latest Finger on the Pulse survey, 83 per cent of Canadians say buying local evokes a sense of national pride, and 71 per cent report being more loyal to Canadian brands in 2025 than they were a year ago.
Conducted in April with a nationally representative sample of more than 1,000 adults, the survey finds that Canadians are responding to economic uncertainty, rising tariffs and a weaker dollar by making more intentional, values-based choices at checkout.
鈥淭his isn鈥檛 performative patriotism鈥攊t鈥檚 a strategic consumer shift,鈥 said Robert Jenkyn, President, Horizon Media Canada. 鈥淧eople are using their dollars to vote for trust, transparency, and Canadian-made value. It鈥檚 a loyalty play with real staying power.鈥
A national turn inward 鈥 and a lasting oneThe loyalty shift is taking root across the country, but Atlantic Canada (62 per cent), British Columbia (71 per cent) and Ontario (74 per cent) are leading the way. The trend is being reinforced by changes in travel behaviour as well: 67 per cent of Canadians say they鈥檝e adjusted or cancelled trips to the United States due to the weak Canadian dollar, and 59 per cent say they鈥檝e reduced their purchases of U.S. brands altogether.
This is not a short-term reaction. Eighty-five per cent of Canadians say they plan to prioritize Canadian-made products moving forward, with many indicating they will do so even if prices increase. The preference is strongest among Gen X and Boomers, who are most likely to switch away from global brands in response to tariff-related price hikes. But even younger consumers 鈥 while more globally open 鈥 are looking for authenticity and purpose in the brands they choose.
鈥淲hen a brand clearly communicates that it鈥檚 Canadian, shoppers perceive it as more credible, more relevant and increasingly more responsible,鈥 said Richard Ivey, Horizon鈥檚 EVP, Business Solutions. 鈥淭hat creates real market advantage 鈥 and it鈥檚 an opportunity brands can鈥檛 afford to ignore.鈥
Messaging, media, and markets: what marketers need to knowThe survey offers clear guidance for CMOs and brand leaders aiming to activate against this wave of values-led loyalty. Canadians respond most strongly to campaigns that emphasize support for Canadian jobs and businesses, the higher quality of Canadian-made products, and the desire for economic independence from global trade instability. Environmental benefits also resonate but rank just behind economic and quality-based messages.
Where a message is delivered matters, too. In-store promotions (67 per cent) and television ads (57 per cent) are the most trusted platforms for reinforcing Canadian identity 鈥 especially in Ontario and the Prairie provinces, where traditional channels carry outsized influence. In contrast, only 41 per cent of respondents selected digital or social media as ideal channels for this messaging, indicating a renewed consumer trust in mass media when it comes to values-based brand storytelling.
The shift is most pronounced in food and beverage, where 82 per cent of Canadians actively seek out Canadian-made products, particularly in Quebec and Atlantic Canada, where local economic ties run deep. However, momentum is also growing in personal care, home goods and fashion, especially in British Columbia and Saskatchewan 鈥 suggesting strong portfolio expansion opportunities for brands that can authentically reinforce their Canadian ties.
Younger Canadians: Open, but selectiveWhile Millennials and Gen Z are less influenced by patriotic appeals alone, they remain highly responsive to brands that demonstrate transparency, sustainable practices, and price fairness. These younger cohorts represent both a challenge and an opportunity: they demand more, but they are also more willing to engage with global brands 鈥 if those brands can clearly articulate their purpose and impact in Canada.
Implications for brands: The opportunity aheadAs Canadians prepare to mark their national holiday, this research underscores the urgency 鈥 and the upside 鈥 of embracing Brand Canada. It鈥檚 not a niche play or a seasonal slogan. It鈥檚 a powerful, durable driver of loyalty, especially in a market defined by rising consumer scrutiny and spending caution.
鈥淭here鈥檚 never been a more important time to reinforce Brand Canada,鈥 added Jenkyn. 鈥淣ational pride isn鈥檛 just symbolic鈥攊t鈥檚 showing up in shopping carts, credit card statements and the companies people choose to support. The marketers who take that seriously鈥攏ot as a trend, but as a cultural signal鈥攚ill be the ones who win.鈥
About the survey
Horizon Media Canada鈥檚 Finger on the Pulse survey was conducted April 2 to 9, 2025, with a nationally representative sample of 1,003 Canadian adults. The study explored consumer sentiment around tariffs, trade disruptions, and the return to local loyalty across generational, geographic and product segments. Regional and demographic breakouts are available on request.
Horizon MediaHorizon Media Inc., the largest independent media agency in North America, delivers data-driven business outcomes for some of the world鈥檚 most innovative and ambitious brands. Founded in 1989, headquartered in New York, and with offices in Los Angeles, Toronto, and Edmonton, the company employs 2,400 people and has media investments of more than $9.5 billion. Horizon Media鈥檚 fundamental belief is that business is personal, which drives its approach to connecting brands with their customers and engaging with its own employees resulting in industry-leading workplace satisfaction levels (Glassdoor). The company is consistently recognized by independent media outlets for its client excellence and has earned several 鈥淏est Workplaces鈥 awards reflecting its commitment to DEI and the life and well-being of everyone at Horizon Media. For more information on Horizon Media in Canada, please visit https://horizon-media.ca/.
Andrew FindlaterSELECT Public Relations[email protected](647) 444-1197