CANADA. Airport duty free sales in Canada climbed +8% year-on-year in March to C$35 million (US$25.5 million).
National land border duty free sales dropped -0.33% to C$9.5 million (US$6.9 million), according to figures from the Canadian Border Services Agency (and reported by the Frontier Duty Free Association).
In the first three months of 2017, land border sales were down -4% year-on-year, to C$24 million (US$17.5 million). Airport duty free sales increased +7%, to C$104 million (US$75.9 million).
The Prairie Region saw sales of approximately C$614,000 (US$448,000) in March, a decrease of -0.61%. For January-March 2017 sales equalled C$1.6 million (US$1.17 million), a drop of -2%.
Sales in the Pacific declined -16% in March to C$1.4 million (US$1 million). Sales also fell -16% in the first three months of 2017 to C$4 million (US$2.9 million).
The Ontario sales figure for March was C$5.9 million (US$4.3 million), an increase of +6.39%. For January-March sales were up slightly (+0.34%) to C$14.9 million (US$10.9 million).
Sales in the Atlantic/Quebec region fell -5.95% in March to C$1.4 million (US$1 million). Sales fell -6.3% in the first three months of the year, to C$4.1 million (US$3 million).
The main categories that dominated sales in land border duty free in March were as follows (in order of sales highest to lowest):
- Alcohol (liquor, liqueur, wine, coolers)
- Tobacco, Cigars, Loose Tobacco
- Perfume, Cosmetics, Skincare
- Food
- Beer (beer, malt-based coolers)
- Jewellery, Watches, Clocks
- Accessories (purses, wallets, sunglasses, etc.)
- Clothing (including hats, fur, leather)
- Souvenirs
- Office and Travel Supplies
- Glassware, crystal, china, figurines, porcelain
- Other
- Crafts/Arts
- Electronics, Cameras, Binoculars, etc.