Canada Boxing Day 2025 shopping trends: Montreal insights

December 26, 2025

Canada Boxing Day 2025 shopping trends are shaping a noticeably different retail landscape across Canada, with shifting consumer calendars, technology-driven shopping behaviors, and a recalibrated role for Montreal and other urban centers. As Boxing Day 2025 approaches, researchers, retailers, and policy observers are watching how post-holiday promotions, online channels, and domestic buying preferences reconfigure a season once dominated by last-minute in-store bursts. This report pulls together the latest data, expert voices, and regional nuances to offer a clear, data-driven view of what Canada Boxing Day 2025 shopping trends mean for shoppers and storefronts alike. The analysis draws on recent Canadian holiday outlooks, retailer data, and market studies to present a comprehensive picture for readers of the Montréal Times who rely on precise numbers, dates, and context.

Canada Boxing Day 2025 shopping trends reflect a broader reordering of the holiday shopping calendar in Canada, where many shoppers and retailers have migrated toward Black Friday and Cyber Monday as the primary promotional milestones. A 2025 industry snapshot from Lightspeed Commerce reported that more than half of Canadians (51%) say Black Friday has replaced Boxing Day for better deals, with even stronger sentiment among younger generations. The same data set shows that 44% of Canadians expect to shop Black Friday or Cyber Monday this year, and that younger Canadians—especially those aged 18–24 and 25–34—are driving the shift. The shift is paired with a growing skepticism about promotions, as 79% of respondents rated holiday deals as mediocre or poor, and a sizable portion—roughly 75%—remain price-conscious, seeking value and discounts. The study also highlights a domestic shopping preference, with 79% of respondents planning to shop locally in Canada, a trend where Montreal shoppers are particularly engaged. For readers who want the numeric detail behind the trend, the Montreal area demonstrates particularly strong domestic shopping intent, underscoring the importance of local retailers and omnichannel experiences. (retail-insider.com)

The shift toward Black Friday/Cyber Monday, and the consequent changes to Boxing Day’s role, have immediate implications for retailers and consumers alike. A parallel analysis from PwC Canada’s 2025 holiday outlook emphasizes a cautious consumer environment: Canadians are planning to cut back in the next six months, with a notable emphasis on digital engagement, in-store experiences, and a preference for Canadian-made products in a cost-conscious marketplace. The report also notes a widening generational divide, with younger consumers dialing back discretionary spend and placing higher value on digital experiences and transparency. The PwC findings provide critical context for interpreting Boxing Day activity in 2025, suggesting that retailers who combine compelling in-store experiences with well-executed digital campaigns stand to perform better in a more restrained environment. (pwc.com)

In parallel, Omnisend’s post-holiday data for December 25–31, 2024, and industry analyses for late 2025 point to a nuanced picture of Canadian e-commerce activity during the Boxing Day period. Online transactions rose year over year (a 32% increase in transactions during the key post-Christmas window), while total spending declined by about 3.5% versus the previous year. The shift toward more transactions at a lower average basket size aligns with a broader value-driven consumer mindset and a preference for deal-driven, multi-channel shopping experiences. For Montréal Times readers, this data underscores the growing importance of omnichannel retail strategies—bringing e-commerce, mobile, and in-store experiences into a cohesive shopping journey. (grocerybusiness.ca)

Opening the lens further into regional dynamics, Shopping and retail researchers highlight Montreal’s role as a leading market within Central Canada for domestic shopping—and, by extension, a testing ground for omnichannel initiatives, local promotions, and in-store experiences designed to attract urban shoppers during Boxing Week. The Lightspeed data notes that Central Canada shows strong domestic shopping momentum, with Montreal showing high propensity to purchase locally and to engage with local retailers, complemented by a growing reliance on digital channels for discovery and purchase. These regional patterns are important for policymakers, retailers, and local media covering the technology-driven retail shifts that define Canada Boxing Day 2025 shopping trends. (retail-insider.com)

Opening paragraph (reiterating the keyword): Canada Boxing Day 2025 shopping trends are reshaping the way Canadians shop after Christmas, with Black Friday and Cyber Monday increasingly driving the season, a clear tilt toward domestic buying, and a sophisticated use of technology to support omnichannel shopping, particularly in major markets like Montreal. By analyzing the latest data, we present a balanced view of the opportunities and challenges facing retailers and consumers as Boxing Week 2025 unfolds.

What Happened

Boxing Day’s evolving place in the Canadian calendar

Canada Boxing Day 2025 shopping trends reflect a broader evolution of the holiday shopping calendar in Canada. Historically a one-day in-store event, Boxing Day has morphed into a longer “Boxing Week” promotional period that begins well before December 26 and extends into early January in many markets. The retail calendar now emphasizes Black Friday and Cyber Monday as the most active shopping moments, with Boxing Day playing a supportive, often slower, role. This shift is documented in industry analyses that show growing consumer emphasis on early-season promotions, omnichannel options, and a more even distribution of promotional activity across the December window.(retail-insider.com)

Key data points from 2025 holiday season analyses

Black Friday as the primary driver: A majority of Canadians (51%) report that Black Friday has replaced Boxing Day for better deals. This sentiment is strongest among Gen Z and Millennials, with 60% of 18–24-year-olds and 57% of 25–34-year-olds agreeing the shift is complete. These numbers illustrate the generational realignment of holiday shopping incentives toward earlier promotions and online-first experiences. (retail-insider.com)
Cyber Monday momentum: The same sources indicate that Cyber Monday remains a crucial online shopping day, with 44% of Canadians planning to shop Black Friday or Cyber Monday in 2025. This signals a sustained reliance on online channels and the continued role of digital discovery in shaping post-holiday spending. (retail-insider.com)
Overall sentiment about deals: A striking 79% of respondents describe holiday deals as mediocre or poor. This pervasive sentiment underscores deal fatigue and a consumer demand for more authentic value, better price transparency, and genuinely meaningful promotions rather than promotional parity across platforms. Retailers will need to differentiate beyond price cuts to capture attention and loyalty. (retail-insider.com)
Domestic shopping and local loyalty: About 79% of Canadians plan to shop domestically, with regional variation. In Montreal, and across Central Canada, there is notable engagement with local retailers, a trend that aligns with rising interest in local brands and in-store experiences that deliver immediate value and social engagement. (retail-insider.com)
E-commerce momentum and basket dynamics: Omnisend’s data for the post-Christmas window show a higher number of online transactions (a 32% YoY increase) but a modest decline in total spend (about 3.5%). This pattern suggests consumers are spreading purchases across multiple channels, seeking value across devices, and often opting for smaller but more frequent transactions. For Montreal retailers, this implies the critical importance of a seamless omnichannel flow—from discovery to cart to pickup or delivery. (grocerybusiness.ca)

Timeline: key dates and events shaping 2025 Boxing Week

November 28, 2025 — Black Friday in Canada: Retailers roll out digital-first promotions, with in-store events complementing online campaigns in major urban centers, including Montreal. Industry analyses note that this is the critical moment for consumers to start holiday shopping earlier in the season. (retail-insider.com)
December 1, 2025 — Cyber Monday: Online-only or online-dominant promotions continue, reinforcing the online shopping momentum that began on Black Friday and extending into the first days of December. The continued online emphasis aligns with Omnisend’s observed transaction growth and the broader shift to digital channels. (grocerybusiness.ca)
December 6–12, 2025 — Early Boxing Week promotions: Merchants in Canada roll out extended promotions across the first full week after Boxing Day, often including online-only or omnichannel bundles designed to capture late shoppers and gift-card redemptions. The shift toward longer promotional windows is supported by retail industry commentary on evolving holiday calendars. (retail-insider.com)
December 26, 2025 — Boxing Day: The formal date remains an important cultural anchor, but the real action, in Canada, is increasingly spread across the week and month. Retail analysts emphasize that Boxing Day now functions within a broader “golden quarter” of holiday promotions, rather than as a single-day peak. (retail-insider.com)
December 31, 2025 — Boxing Week wrap: Many retailers extend promotions into the final days of December, with some campaigns rolling into early January. The goal is to smooth demand and reduce last-minute stock risk while accommodating a growing preference for pre-holiday shopping among younger generations. (retail-insider.com)

Montreal and regional nuances in 2025

Montreal stands out as a key market for Canada Boxing Day 2025 shopping trends, with local retailers leveraging a mix of promotions, in-store experiences, and digital channels to attract urban shoppers. The central Canada region, including Montreal, shows strong domestic shopping intent and a notable openness to omnichannel approaches, including in-store pickup, rapid delivery options, and localized promotions that speak to the city’s unique consumer culture. Retail data indicates Montreal shoppers are among those leading the way in domestic loyalty and local retailer engagement, reinforcing the importance of a city-level approach to Boxing Week campaigns. This regional dimension matters for local policy makers, merchants, and media covering technology-enabled retail strategies. (retail-insider.com)

Why It Matters

Impact on retailers and supply chains

The recalibration of the Boxing Week calendar has practical consequences for retailers’ planning and supply chain management. With Black Friday and Cyber Monday driving the majority of holiday discounts, Canadian retailers are adjusting inventory, promotions, and fulfillment strategies to accommodate earlier demand spikes and multi-channel shopping. The shift toward omnichannel models—where online discovery, in-store experiences, curbside pickup, and fast home delivery intersect—requires retailers to invest in digital platforms, data analytics, and logistics capabilities that can adapt quickly to evolving consumer expectations. The Lightspeed data underscore this shift, noting that younger shoppers drive the move toward an extended promotional calendar and more dynamic pricing strategies. For Montreal-bound retailers, aligning promotions with local shopping patterns and ensuring inventory availability across channels is essential to maximize conversion during Boxing Week. (retail-insider.com)

Moreover, PwC Canada highlights the broader macroeconomic context in which Boxing Day activity occurs: consumers plan to cut back, and confidence remains delicate. This reality elevates the importance of in-store experiences and human interactions, as many shoppers still prefer personal service and tangible assistance at physical locations. The report also notes a growing willingness among Canadians to pay more for Canadian-made products, suggesting that domestic branding and provenance can be a differentiator in a price-sensitive market. Retailers who combine strong digital capabilities with a compelling in-store value proposition are best positioned to convert demand into loyalty during Boxing Week. (pwc.com)

Consumer behavior shifts and the role of technology

Technology is a central driver of Canada Boxing Day 2025 shopping trends, particularly in the context of omnichannel shopping, digital discovery, and the management of promotions. The Omnisend data illustrate a paradox: more Canadians are transacting online, yet overall spend is down modestly year over year. This implies a strategy focus on increasing average order value, cross-sell opportunities, and improved user experiences across devices. It also signals a need for retailers to deliver transparent pricing and clear value messages to reduce deal fatigue highlighted in consumer surveys. For the Montreal market, the convergence of online and offline channels, supported by localized content and digital promotions, can unlock opportunities to attract urban shoppers who prefer convenience and speed. (grocerybusiness.ca)

In addition, the shift away from Boxing Day as the singular promotional anchor toward a more persistent, multi-week promotional cadence has implications for marketing approaches. Retail insiders note that the “golden quarter” of trading now spans multiple weeks and promotional events, with retailers leveraging social discovery and creator-led marketing to reach younger audiences. This is especially relevant in metropolitan areas like Montreal, where Gen Z and Millennial shoppers are influential in shaping trend trajectories. These dynamics reinforce the need for retailers to deploy flexible pricing, authentic messaging, and engaging in-store experiences that reflect consumer values and preferences. (retail-insider.com)

Implications for urban centers and Montreal retailers

Urban retail ecosystems, including Montreal, face distinct opportunities and challenges in the wake of Canada Boxing Day 2025 shopping trends. The data show a strong domestic shopping preference, and Montreal’s position as a magnet for urban shoppers—with high engagement in local retailers—signals a pathway for city-based retailers to differentiate through place-based experiences, community partnerships, and locally resonant promotions. However, the same data warn about deal fatigue and the need for authentic value, which means Montreal retailers should emphasize not only discounts but also product uniqueness, service quality, and experiential elements (e.g., in-store events, personalized assistance, and gated digital experiences) that cannot be replicated by pure price cutting alone. (retail-insider.com)

What’s Next

Predictions for Boxing Week 2025 and beyond

Industry commentary and data suggest that Boxing Week will continue to be a multi-week phenomenon, with a continued emphasis on Black Friday and Cyber Monday as pre‑ Boxing Week catalysts. Retailers who succeed will likely pursue a more integrated calendar—one that blends early promotions, online discovery, and in-store experiences into a coherent, omnichannel journey. The central Canada region, including Montreal, is expected to remain a hotspot for domestic shopping and a testing ground for local promotions tied to digital channels and rapid fulfillment. Consumer sentiment, while cautious, will reward retailers who deliver clear value, transparent pricing, and a compelling consumer experience that blends human service with technology-driven convenience. (retail-insider.com)

For Montreal and Quebec retailers, expect continued investment in localized content, bilingual marketing, and partnerships with local brands to reinforce domestic shopping momentum and create an authentic regional value proposition.
For national retailers, omnichannel execution remains critical: robust online-to-offline fulfillment, simple returns, flexible delivery options, and a seamless checkout experience across devices will differentiate successful campaigns from the rest. (grocerybusiness.ca)

What retailers and consumers should watch for in early 2026

Price transparency and value messaging: With deal fatigue at high levels, consumers will reward promotions that clearly demonstrate value beyond the sticker price. Retailers should prioritize value storytelling, clear savings messaging, and promotions that align with consumer priorities (Canadian-made, sustainable, locally sourced). (retail-insider.com)
Gen Z and Millennial influence on the calendar: The data emphasize that younger shoppers are leading changes in when and how promotions occur. Brands should adapt by investing in creator-led campaigns, social commerce experiences, and mobile-first shopping journeys. (retail-insider.com)
Domestic shopping momentum: Expect continued emphasis on domestic shopping, especially in Central Canada and Montreal. Local retailers who leverage proximity services, in-store experiences, and regionally resonant promotions may outperform national campaigns that rely solely on price-based discounts. (retail-insider.com)
Omnichannel optimization: The online-to-offline flow will remain central to success. Stores that offer seamless pickup, easy returns, real-time inventory, and consistent messaging across channels are likely to capture a larger share of Boxing Week activity. (grocerybusiness.ca)

Closing

Canada Boxing Day 2025 shopping trends reveal a retail landscape that has grown more complex and more digitally integrated, with Montreal and Central Canada playing a pivotal role in shaping the year’s end shopping narrative. The data show a consumer base that prioritizes value, embraces online channels, and prefers domestic products, even as promotions evolve into longer, multi-week campaigns driven by Black Friday and Cyber Monday. For retailers and policy observers, the takeaway is clear: success will hinge on a balanced strategy that marries compelling in-store experiences with robust digital capabilities, precise consumer insights, and a commitment to authentic, local value. Staying attuned to the evolving calendar, shopper sentiment, and regional dynamics will be essential as Boxing Week 2025 unfolds and the Canadian holiday shopping season moves toward 2026.

As always, Montréal Times will continue to monitor the data, report on real-world outcomes, and provide readers with practical guidance grounded in the latest numbers. For ongoing updates on Canada Boxing Day 2025 shopping trends, we will highlight new reports, retailer announcements, and city-level analyses as they become available, with a focus on how technology is shaping modern retail in Canada and what it means for Montreal shoppers and merchants alike.