There is an enduring appeal of relaxation-focused cannabis products, a growing popularity of digital menus in retail settings, and a generational shift in cannabis connoisseurship among Canadian cannabis consumers, according to new data.
Cannabis Retailer commissioned Caddle to survey 8,999 Canadian cannabis users in August 2024 on their purchasing habits.
Consumers Motivated by Relaxation
Respondents primarily purchase cannabis for relaxation (22.1%), followed by sleep (15.3%) and medical reasons (13.2%). Anxiety and social motivations also contribute significantly. While inspiration and boredom are less common, a substantial portion (26.9%) of respondents cited other motivations, suggesting a diverse range of reasons for cannabis use.
The same top three reasons were seen among men and women (relaxation, sleep, and medical).
When broken down by age group, Greatest Gen primarily uses cannabis for medical reasons, followed by unspecified “other” motivations. Baby boomers and Gen X also frequently cite “other” reasons, with relaxation and medical use being secondary.
Millennials and Gen Z prioritize relaxation and sleep, with “other” motivations also playing a significant role. This suggests a shift in cannabis use motivations across generations, with younger cohorts focusing more on recreational and sleep-related benefits.
Fruit-Flavoured Drinks Dominate
Respondents expressed a strong preference for fruit-flavoured cannabis beverages, followed by carbonated options. Coffee and tea-based beverages also garnered significant interest.
While beer and malt-flavored drinks were less popular, a substantial portion of respondents indicated a desire for other types of cannabis beverages, suggesting a diverse range of preferences.
While both men and women prioritize “other” beverage types (31.6% and 35.5% respectively), women exhibit a stronger preference for tea-based options (13.0%). Fruit-flavoured beverages are consistently popular among both genders (21.9% men and 22.8% women). However, men are more likely to choose carbonated options (15.0%), while women lean towards tea.
Greatest Gen demonstrates a unique preference for coffee-based cannabis beverages, followed by unspecified “other” options. Baby boomers and Gen X also frequently cite “other” reasons, with fruit-flavoured beverages being a secondary preference.
Millennials and Gen Z prioritize fruit-flavoured and carbonated options, with “other” motivations also playing a significant role. This suggests a shift in cannabis beverage preferences across generations, with younger cohorts focusing more on recreational and refreshing flavours.
In-Store Menu Preferences
Respondents were evenly divided between preferring printed menus (49%) and digital screens (51%) in cannabis stores. However, there are more differences when viewed by age group. The Greatest Gen, Boomers and Gen Z prefer digital menus more than other generations.
Cannabis Connoisseurs
A relatively small percentage of respondents (30%) identified as cannabis connoisseurs. However, there was a notable gender difference, with men (35%) being more likely to consider themselves connoisseurs than women (25%). This suggests that while cannabis connoisseurship is a minority group of consumers, it may be more prevalent among male consumers.
The graphic reveals a clear trend of increasing cannabis connoisseurship among younger generations. While the Greatest Gen shows a low percentage of self-identified connoisseurs, the rate rises significantly among Baby boomers, Gen X, millennials, and peaks in Gen Z.
Cannabis Purchases
Similar to last month, 22% of respondents purchased cannabis in the past three months. Out of the respondents, 19% of women purchased cannabis compared to 25% of men.
Comparable to past surveys, millennials (28%) and Gen Z (27%) had the highest rates of cannabis purchasing in the past three months, while Greatest Gen (17%) and baby boomers (13%) had the lowest.