SHIFTHEADS: Three in Five Canadians Now Plan to Thrift

Shane Hewitt and The Nightshift · Jul 23, 2026 · 8m

Thrifting has lost its stigma, with new survey data showing three in five Canadians plan to shop secondhand this year. Bruce Winder connects the surge to affordability, environmental motivations, and a genuine treasure hunt appeal that's turned thrifting into a badge of honour, especially for younger shoppers.

At the same time, surveillance pricing has become a political hot button, with Toronto and Manitoba moving to ban a practice that Bruce Winder says doesn't currently exist in Canadian grocery. He draws a clear line between that idea and the dynamic pricing already used by services like…