A new survey from the Retail Council of Canada finds the overwhelming majority of parents plan to go in-person for back-to-school shopping this year. In fact, about 99 per cent of the parents who responded to the survey said so. Part of the yearly study conducted by the retail council, nearly 1,400 parents with children from Kindergarten to Grade 12 in the upcoming school year responded to the survey. It also found many are using digital fliers and websites to check reviews and compare prices before heading to the stores to make purchases. “We know that according to the survey, parents do research digitally and compare online, but physical stores do remain central because families want to see the products. They need to confirm the availability,” said Santo Ligotti vice-president of marketing and membership for the Retail Council of Canada. Catherine Morin and her granddaughter Amelia Dunn-Morin were already back-to-school shopping in Ottawa on Monday. She says shopping in-store is better to try and compare products. “I like it in the store myself, so you can see what’s out there, more variety,” said Morin. Heading into Grade 5, Amelia came with a list. “Some pens and pencils and erasers and stuff. Maybe a pencil case,” she said. Morin had a budget of $40 for their first day of shopping. “It cost us twice as much as we’re aiming for,” said Morin. The survey also found that on average, Canadians spend anywhere between $600 to $750 per child, including electronics. Back to school is a major part the Canadian retail season, worth about $4.5 billion, according to estimates. The retail council found 61 per cent of parents have already started back-to-school planning or intend to begin soon.
