It’s weird to think about how different the shopping carts are just a few steps south. Americans are happy to stock a few products in huge amounts compared to us Canadians, and they buy some things far more often than we do.
Here are eight products that Americans buy more than Canadians. Which of these do you think we should stock up on more?
Soft drinks and energy drinks
It shouldn’t be a secret that Americans pick up sodas & energy drinks much more often than we do. They drink approximately 216 liters per person each year. But Canadians drink around 120 liters per capita annually.
Energy drinks are a big part of America’s soft drink industry, and they also contribute quite a bit to North America’s entire energy drink market. People sure love their sugar.
Snack foods and candy bars
Anyone who’s ever walked into an American convenience store will know how endless the snack aisles feel. They have giant bags & unlimited flavours, as well as king-sized bars everywhere. That translates into a love for snacks that we don’t necessarily have here.
The overall snack market in the U.S. is valued at around US$156.7 billion & grows by roughly 6.9% each year. It’s only around US$9.17 billion in Canada. But the snack market is growing here, just at a slower rate.
Over-the-counter medications
American pharmacies have more nonprescription items than Canadian ones do. You can actually count it. There are approximately 399 medications available in the United States that aren’t sold in Canada, including heartburn medications like over-the-counter omeprazole.
Many Americans throw these pills into their carts. Their per-capita spending on drugs is approximately two times higher than what Canadians spend each year. But we have to deal with tighter rules & fewer options, so we buy fewer medications.
Fast food chains and combos
American fast food is quite literally everywhere. They have more fast food chains than we do, and some of these don’t even operate in Canada, like Sonic & Whataburger. Consumers in the foodservice sector spent around $2,040 per person in 2022.
But Canadians spend only between $1000 & $1300 in the foodservice sector each year. The fast-food industry was actually valued at C$36.4 billion, compared to $260-$316 billion in America.
Beauty and cosmetic products
American beauty aisles are practically a whole other universe compared to Canadian ones. It’s something you can see in the market size. The American beauty industry is around US$98 billion, but the Canadian one is only worth roughly US$9 billion.
What’s more interesting is the fact that high-end beauty stores alone in America are worth US$34 billion. It’s mostly thanks to stores like Ulta & Sephora that move greater volumes of stock in the United States.
Cleaning products and home supplies
American retailers sell cleaning supplies that simply don’t exist over here. These include newer eco brands like Blueland. Forecasts suggest that the U.S. cleaning market will be around US$85 billion by 2032, and it currently stands at approximately US$33.23 billion.
The market is valued at US$1.47 billion in Canada. That’s not to say that we’re dirty or anything, but simply that we don’t buy as many cleaning products as Americans do.
Alcoholic beverages
What we drink is different as well. American drinkers average 9.8 liters of alcohol per adult every year, but Canadians consume around 7.8 liters. The figures are equally telling with spirits. Americans drink 3.6 liters of spirits per person, while Canadians drink roughly 2.2 liters.
Lower beer excise taxes in many states are one of the major reasons for the difference. Alcohol costs less over the border, so many people are willing to purchase more of it. It’s math, really.
Pet products
Americans really love their pets. Total spending on pets is at around US$157 billion annually in the United States & pet food is valued at approximately $158 billion over there. Canadians spend a mere US$4.7 billion annually on their pets.
Keeping population differences aside, it’s mostly due to American shoppers being able to buy specialty toys & treats that stores don’t ship across the border. They can shop at big online retailers that we don’t have here, so they spend more as a result.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.