Sask. shoppers spending with intention this holiday season, report says

As shoppers in Saskatchewan head to shopping centres for last minute purchases, a new report suggests they are more likely to be spending with intention this year.

It’s crunch time for shopping centres across Saskatchewan as last-minute gift buyers hope to cross items off their lists.

But for some shoppers, such as Anja Sierhaus in Saskatoon, their lists are being kept purposely short.

“Everything has risen like crazy and I see that the prices are very similar. So yes, it’s less shopping,” Sierhaus said.

A new report from market researcher Insightrix suggests Saskatchewan shoppers are spending with intention this holiday season — opting for meaningful gifts over expensive ones.

Close to two-thirds of respondents say they are spending about the same as last year, while around 29 per cent are looking to spend less.

Gen Z are the most likely generation to be penny-pinching this year, according to the report, with 40 per cent of respondents saying they plan to cut back on spending.

The report says reasoning for a drop in spending is tied to financial pressures and rising costs.

“It’s really tied to what they’re reporting as inflation and even the personal financial constraints that they’re facing this holiday season,” said Lang McGlip, research director at Inisghtrix.