Last year we published our first media release of yearly purchasing trends called ‘What Ontarians were drinking in 2022’. People enjoyed hearing about the changing tastes and preferences of Ontarians across different categories, and on December 6 we published our 2023 edition.
A key takeaway from this year’s release is that Ontarians made more mindful choices that saw their dollar go further. While many customers sought more value-based purchases, brand-loyal customers stuck to their favourites.
Highlighted trends for this year* include:
• Continued popularity of tequila, with 44% growth over the last two years
• Mainstream Canadian beer (+10%) outpaced demand for premium and craft beer
• Canned cocktails were extremely popular with growth of 40% growth over the previous year
• Customers’ preferences shifted away from heavier styles of wine and gravitated towards fresher styles, including lighter reds, roses, and light white wines
• Notable growth in alternative formats including 3L boxed wine (+28%) and 375ml bottles of wine (+15%)
• Growth of lighter wine options and lower sugar wines outpaced wines with higher alcohol levels (+2% and +7% respectively)
The full media release can be found in LCBO’s Media Centre.
*Data from November 6, 2022 - November 4, 2023.