New research from Horizon Media Canada confirms a powerful consumer shift toward local loyalty—one that is reshaping purchase behaviour across provinces and generations.
According to the firm’s 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, it said.
“This isn’t performative patriotism—it’s a strategic consumer shift,” said Robert Jenkyn, President, Horizon Media Canada. “People are using their dollars to vote for trust, transparency, and Canadian-made value. It’s a loyalty play with real staying power.”
A national turn inward — and a lasting one
The 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’ve adjusted or cancelled trips to the United States due to the weak Canadian dollar, and 59 per cent say they’ve reduced their purchases of U.S. brands altogether, said Horizon.
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 — while more globally open — are looking for authenticity and purpose in the brands they choose, said the report.
“When a brand clearly communicates that it’s Canadian, shoppers perceive it as more credible, more relevant and increasingly more responsible,” said Richard Ivey, Horizon’s EVP, Business Solutions. “That creates real market advantage — and it’s an opportunity brands can’t afford to ignore.”
Messaging, media, and markets: what marketers need to know
Horizon said the 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 — 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,” it said.
“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 — suggesting strong portfolio expansion opportunities for brands that can authentically reinforce their Canadian ties.”
While 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 — if those brands can clearly articulate their purpose and impact in Canada, explained Horizon.
“As Canadians prepare to mark their national holiday, this research underscores the urgency — and the upside — of embracing Brand Canada. It’s not a niche play or a seasonal slogan. It’s a powerful, durable driver of loyalty, especially in a market defined by rising consumer scrutiny and spending caution,” it said.
“There’s never been a more important time to reinforce Brand Canada,” added Jenkyn. “National pride isn’t just symbolic—it’s showing up in shopping carts, credit card statements and the companies people choose to support. The marketers who take that seriously—not as a trend, but as a cultural signal—will be the ones who win.”
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