In 2022, Canada’s 100 most lucrative imported consumer products attracted US$272.3 billion in Canadian spending on goods acquired from international sources.

That dollar amount represents 48% of the overall value of all Canadian imported goods ($567.4 billion), up from the 47.6% for consumer products’ percentage share for overall imports during 2021.

The 5 most valuable consumer products imported into Canada during 2022 were cars, refined petroleum oils, trucks, automotive parts or accessories, and phones including smartphones.

The total dollar amount for Canada’s top 100 imported consumer products rose by 16.9% in 2022 from $232.9 billion one year prior in 2021. For all Canadian imported goods, spending increased less at 15.9% year over year.

Among the top 100 consumer products imported by Canada, 89 increased in total cost from 2021 to 2022 led by medication mixes in dosage. On the other hand, 11 declined propelled by shrinking Canadian spending on imported silver.

Changes in Canadian consumer demand for essential imports offer future opportunities for international suppliers who correctly anticipate which upward or downward trends will continue.

Consumer Products Defined

Economics educator BoyceWire defines a consumer product as a final good or end product that a business creates for consumers to buy. For example, consumers often purchase refined petroleum oil at the gas station while imported crude oil is an intermediate good subject to further processing before being sold to end users.

Although there may be a few wealthy individual buyers, products like turbojets are excluded from the consumer products targeted by this study. That is because turbojets are usually purchased by corporations. In contrast, it is common for a consumer to buy a car, truck or motorcycle.

Types of Consumer Products

This article focuses on 3 distinct consumer product types.

Convenience Products are easy to access, non-durable, have relatively lower prices and therefore consumers frequently purchase them. Examples of convenience products are food, alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks, and soap.

Shopping Products are not as easily available, involve more time to make a buying decision, are durable and are not bought as often as most convenience products. A great example of a shopping product is a mobile phone where buying a poor-performing model is a much more expensive mistake than buying a stale loaf of bread.

Speciality Products describe another consumer product type. This grey area includes infrequently purchased, expensive, durable and sometimes rare items. Consumers may consider the product’s brand image when making their purchase decisions. Some examples of speciality products are gold, silver, diamonds, jewelry, and branded refrigerators and dishwashers.

Canada’s Most Valuable Imported Convenience Products

The list below showcases the most valuable imported convenience products on which buyers in Canada spent the most. Items were selected at the four-digit Harmonized System tariff classification code level and are presented in descending order.

You can also peruse the greatest increases or decreases in product values from 2021 to 2022 by focusing on the percentages displayed to the right of each product name.

Processed petroleum oils: US$20,056,212,000 (up 49.6%)
Medications: $10,016,789,000 (up 6.9%)
Petroleum gas: $4,697,456,000 (up 74.6%)
Plastic packing goods, lids, caps: $3,174,718,000 (up 13.7%)
Wine: $2,268,825,000 (up 0.9%)
Miscellaneous plastic items: $2,257,153,000 (up 2.3%)
Bread, biscuits, cakes, pastries: $2,036,599,000 (up 15.5%)
Miscellaneous food preparations: $1,990,758,000 (up 7.8%)
Coffee: $1,909,508,000 (up 34.1%)
Other organic cleaning preparations: $1,698,114,000 (up 14.5%)
Corn: $1,473,890,000 (up 79.6%)
Miscellaneous fruits (fresh): $1,299,784,000 (up 2.9%)
Chocolate, other cocoa preparations: $1,239,545,000 (up 7.4%)
Alcohol (including spirits, liqueurs): $1,188,875,000 (up 15%)
Medication mixes not in dosage: $1,080,451,000 (up 576.2%)
Miscellaneous preserved fruits: $1,035,779,000 (up 9.8%)
Waters with added sugar: $1,002,612,000 (up 4.9%)
Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $1,001,737,000 (up 64.7%)
Plastic wares (table, kitchen, toiletry): $968,455,000 (up 9.7%)
Fish fillets, pieces: $957,376,000 (up 21.3%)
Sauces, condiments, seasoning: $920,535,000 (up 10.4%)
Other fresh/chilled vegetables: $912,503,000 (up 0.9%)
Crustaceans (including lobsters): $836,943,000 (down -14.8%)
Other meats (prepared/preserved): $771,641,000 (up 12.2%)
Malt extract, food preparations: $740,377,000 (up 17.5%)
Fresh or chilled beef: $708,934,000 (up 7%)
Sanitary towels, baby napkins/liners: $706,825,000 (up 15.1%)
Tissues, napkins, toilet paper: $683,052,000 (up 14.1%)
Fresh or dried citrus fruit: $677,715,000 (up 3.2%)
Fruit and vegetable juices: $660,310,000 (up 9.4%)
Sugar (cane or beet): $624,382,000 (up 17.2%)
Prepared cereal foods: $618,688,000 (up 21%)
Pasta, couscous: $615,869,000 (up 23.2%)
Dates/pineapples/mango/avocado: $615,323,000 (up 4.9%)

The listed convenience products lead Canada’s second-most popular import product type ahead of speciality goods but behind the leading category namely shopping products.

Non-durable consumer products are goods that are not re-used once consumed. Alcoholic beverages and bananas are examples of non-durable goods. Convenience products are uniquely non-durable consumer products.

Canada’s Most Valuable Imported Shopping Products

The following list highlights the most valuable imported shopping products on which buyers in Canada spent the greatest amounts. Items were selected at the four-digit Harmonized System tariff classification code level and are presented from highest to lowest total amounts.

The percentages displayed to the right of each product name reveal the highest increases or decreases in Canadian spending on that specific type of shopping product from 2021 to 2022.

Cars: US$31,888,912,000 (up 14.6%)
Trucks: $17,542,361,000 (up 18.6%)
Automobile parts/accessories: $16,970,932,000 (up 19.4%)
Phone devices including smartphones: $12,756,237,000 (up 8.2%)
Computers, optical readers: $11,421,462,000 (down -0.3%)
Tractors: $4,756,628,000 (up 31%)
Insulated wire/cable: $4,354,905,000 (up 24.1%)
Trailers: $4,100,627,000 (up 29.1%)
Miscellaneous furniture: $3,766,711,000 (up 8.2%)
Seats (not barber/dentist chairs): $3,694,131,000 (up 11.9%)
Rubber tires (new): $3,567,866,000 (up 11.8%)
Electrical converters/power units: $2,580,604,000 (up 18.7%)
Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $2,369,148,000 (up 11.4%)
Packaged insecticides, herbicides: $2,247,239,000 (up 22.3%)
Jerseys, pullovers (knit or crochet): $2,056,953,000 (up 25%)
Screws, bolts, washers, hooks, pins: $1,980,933,000 (up 20.7%)
Miscellaneous toys: $1,943,427,000 (up 13.4%)
Cases, handbags, wallets: $1,842,869,000 (up 40%)
Sports equipment: $1,812,399,000 (down -10.7%)
Printing machinery: $1,651,983,000 (up 3%)
Orthopedic appliances: $1,644,953,000 (up 2%)
Microphones/headphones/amps: $1,623,286,000 (up 3.3%)
Miscellaneous iron or steel items: $1,491,066,000 (up 17.1%)
Women’s clothing (not knit/crochet): $1,383,477,000 (up 45.7%)
Video console games, table games: $1,368,974,000 (up 8.8%)
Footwear (leather): $1,273,835,000 (up 45.2%)
Paper containers, cellulose wadding: $1,267,334,000 (up 13.8%)
Unrecorded sound media: $1,210,465,000 (up 8%)
Hot-rolled iron/non-alloy steel items: $1,136,845,000 (down -19.3%)
Vulcanized rubber items: $1,125,766,000 (up 15.3%)
Women’s clothing (knit or crochet): $1,084,490,000 (up 22.7%)
Yachts, canoes, row boats: $1,062,471,000 (up 1.7%)
T-shirts, vests (knit or crochet): $1,052,891,000 (up 40.4%)
Men’s suits (unknit/non-crochet): $1,041,319,000 (up 46.2%)
Printed books, brochures: $1,001,656,000 (down -2.8%)
Computer parts, accessories: $976,846,000 (down -3.3%)
Footwear (textile): $975,052,000 (up 50.1%)
Motorcycles: $958,234,000 (up 23.1%)
Plastic tile or roll coverings: $707,818,000 (up 2.5%)
Mattresses, quilts: $703,203,000 (down -0.2%)
Hair preparations: $680,996,000 (up 15.8%)
Miscellaneous textile items: $677,564,000 (down -16%)
Synthetic paints, varnishes, enamels: $659,724,000 (up 15.1%)
Soap, organic surface-active goods: $659,029,000 (up 16.4%)
Linens: $645,068,000 (up 7.3%)
Footwear (rubber or plastic): $642,726,000 (up 47.2%)
Paints, varnishes: $618,598,000 (up 11.1%)

Canada’s most popular imported product type is shopping products led by vehicles-related items.

As a product category, shopping products approached half (47) of Canada’s top 100 imported consumer goods.

Durable consumer products are goods like cars, refrigerators and furniture that last a relatively long time. Consumers can put durable products to use again and again. Note that shopping products and speciality products are considered as durable consumer products.

Canada’s Most Valuable Imported Speciality Products

Speciality products represent the category with the fewest entries among Canada’s imports that attracted the North American country’s greatest spending on imported consumer goods during 2022.

Selected at the four-digit Harmonized System tariff classification code level, the most valuable speciality items are listed in descending order below.

The percentage to the right of each product name reveal highest increases or decreases in 2022 compared to 2021.

Gold (unwrought): US$8,105,960,000 (up 24.1%)
Liquid pumps: $2,943,054,000 (up 17.4%)
Temperature-change machines: $2,928,833,000 (up 87.5%)
Silver (unwrought): $2,753,000,000 (down -35.1%)
Air conditioners: $2,404,820,000 (up 20.5%)
Electric water heaters, hair dryers: $2,133,621,000 (up 5.4%)
Refrigerators, freezers: $2,023,650,000 (up 7.3%)
Electric storage batteries: $1,977,661,000 (up 28.9%)
Beauty/makeup/skin care: $1,803,418,000 (up 14.4%)
Household base metal mountings: $1,800,653,000 (up 12.1%)
Fertilizer mixes: $1,734,430,000 (up 23.9%)
Electric motors, not generating sets: $1,676,823,000 (up 10.7%)
Jewelry: $1,450,994,000 (up 17.6%)
Nitrogenous fertilizers: $1,379,912,000 (up 84%)
Electric generating sets, converters: $1,284,867,000 (up 39.7%)
Dishwash, clean/dry/fill machines: $1,089,125,000 (down -2%)
Special hand/machine tools: $995,374,000 (up 12.4%)
Iron/steel stoves, barbecues: $734,304,000 (down -15.6%)
Other printed pictures, photos: $602,545,000 (up 5.7%)

Like the shopping products category, speciality products are considered as durable consumer products.

Based on the product types identified in the sections above, 66 of Canada’s 100 highest-value consumer shopper plus speciality products are durable while the remaining 34 convenience products are classified as non-durable.

Overall Fastest-Growing Consumer Imports

Listed below are the top 10 consumer products imported into Canada that experienced the highest percentage increases in spending from 2021 to 2022.

Medication mixes not in dosage: Up 576.2% (US$1.08 billion)
Temperature-change machines: Up 87.5% ($2.93 billion)
Nitrogenous fertilizers: Up 84% ($1.38 billion)
Corn: Up 79.6% ($1.47 billion)
Petroleum gas: Up 74.6% ($4.7 billion)
Coal, solid fuels made from coal: Up 64.7% ($1 billion)
Footwear (textile): Up 50.1% ($975.1 million)
Processed petroleum oils: Up 49.6% ($20.1 billion)
Footwear (rubber or plastic): Up 47.2% ($642.7 million)
Men’s suits (unknit/non-crochet): Up 46.3% ($1.04 billion)

Among the above top gainers, 5 items are durable goods that consumers can re-use over time. Drilling down, 3 of the durable items are shopping products that require a comparatively longer time to make a buying decision including footwear and suits. Another 2 top gainers are periodically purchased speciality items namely temperature-change machines and nitrogenous fertilizers.

The fastest-growing 5 Canadian imports of convenience products are medication mixes not in dosage, corn, petroleum gas, coal, and processed petroleum oils. Consumers typically consider these items as non-durable products commonly referred to as disposable goods. Typically, they are used only once.

Overall Worst-Declining Consumer Imports

Canada’s spending on the following items decreased from 2021 to 2022.

Silver (unwrought): Down -35.1% (US$2.75 billion)
Items made from hot-rolled iron/non-alloy steel: Down -19.3% ($1.14 billion)
Miscellaneous textile items: Down -16% ($677.6 million)
Iron/steel stoves, barbecues: Down -15.6% ($734.3 million)
Crustaceans (including lobsters): Down -14.8% ($836.9 million)
Sports equipment: Down -10.7% ($1.81 billion)
Computer parts, accessories: Down -3.3% ($976.8 million)
Printed books, brochures: Down -2.8% ($1 billion)
Dishwashing, cleaning/drying/filling machines: Down -2% ($1.09 billion)
Computers, optical readers: Down -0.3% ($11.4 billion)
Mattresses, quilts: Down -0.2% ($703.2 million)

There was one non-durable convenience product among the above decliners, namely crustaceans including lobsters. Convenience products are consumed one time only.

Seven decliners were shopping products that normally require more time for shoppers to make buying decisions. Purchases under the shopping products category are more likely to be deferred than convenience products. Double-digit percentage declines were recorded for Canadian imports of items made from iron or non-alloy steel (down -19.3% from 2021), miscellaneous textile items (down -16%) and sported equipment (down -10.7%).

The greatest-shrinking purchases of speciality products were Canada’s imports of silver (down -35.1%), stoves and barbecues made from iron or steel (down -15.6%), then dishwashing, cleaning, drying, filling machinery (down -2%).

Key Suppliers by Country

This analysis reveals competitive suppliers that target Canada’s demand for its top 5 consumer import products.

The biggest Canadian imported consumer product by value is cars. Canada’s 4 other leading consumer imports are refined petroleum oils, trucks, automobile parts or accessories, and mobile phones.

Below, you will find major supplying countries for the following Canadian imports.

Cars: United States of America (52.5% of total), Mexico (11.4%), South Korea (10.0%), Japan (9.7%), Germany (7.8%), United Kingdom (1.8%), Slovakia (1.7%), mainland China (1.4%), Italy (1.2%), and Belgium (0.6%).

Refined petroleum oils: United States of America (76.1% of total), Netherlands (9.9%), United Kingdom (3%), India (1.6%), Belgium (1.5%), Kuwait (1.47%), Germany (1%), Lithuania (0.7%), Sweden (0.6%), and Ireland (0.4%).

Trucks: United States of America (77% of total), Mexico (19.4%), Germany (1.2%), Japan (0.8%), United Kingdom (0.44%), Sweden (0.31%), Finland (0.28%), Thailand (0.15%), Spain (0.12%), and Brazil (0.09%).

Automobile parts or accessories: United States of America (63.9% of total), mainland China (10.6%), Mexico (9.6%), Japan (4.9%), Germany (2.4%), South Korea (1.7%), India (1.2%), Taiwan (0.9%), Italy (0.47%), and Thailand (0.41%).Mobile phones: mainland China (58.8% of total), Vietnam (13.3%), Mexico (6.4%), United States of America (5.2%), Taiwan (3.9%), Malaysia (2.7%), South Korea (2.4%), Thailand (1.7%), India (0.7%), and the Philippines (0.5%).

References

Independent insights and analysis presented in this article are based on researched facts and statistics sourced from the following educational portals.

BoyceWire, Consumer Goods Definition.

Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook: Canada Economy.

International Trade Centre, Trade Map.

Investopedia, Consumer Goods, Consumer Staples Definition, Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG).

Trading Economics, Canada Consumer Spending.

Wikipedia, List of largest consumer markets.

World’s Top Exports, Canada’s Top 10 Imports.