Walking Together Down The Gift Registry Aisle

Toronto, Ontario - According to a recent telephone survey conducted by Ipsos-Reid on behalf of Canadian Tire, six in ten Canadians (57%) think that the bride has the most influence as to what items a couple selects for their registry, more than doubling the three in ten (27%) who say the bride and groom equally influence the bridal registry selection.

Despite the popular belief that the bride has the most influence on selecting items for a bridal registry, an overwhelming majority of nine in ten (88%) believe that both the bride and groom together should make most of the decisions concerning wedding plans. A small minority of one in ten (10%) believe the bride and her family are the ones making most of the wedding decisions.

Among a list of potential bridal registry items, two thirds (65%) of Canadians say they would be interested in receiving cookware as a wedding gift, this is closely followed by a small kitchen appliance (61%), and sporting goods (59%) such as bikes, camping gear, and skates. Barbecues are also popular potential bridal gifts as 56% say they would be interested in such a gift, and 55% would like a hand and/or power tools. Half (53%) would be interested in receiving patio furniture, and another half (52%) would like lawn and garden tools or accessories as a bridal registry gift.

Seven in ten (69%) Canadians list recreational activities such as cycling, camping, skating, and in-line skating, as the things they most like to do with their partner. Just under half (45%) say they most enjoy home entertaining with their partner, romantic activities (43%), and home decorating or renovation (42%). Three in ten (30%) most like to barbeque with their mate, and one quarter would choose gardening (26%).

These are the findings of an Ipsos-Reid/Canadian Tire poll conducted between February 10th and February 15th, 2004. The telephone survey is based on a randomly selected sample of 1294 adult Canadians. With a sample of this size, the results for each question are considered accurate to within 177 2.7 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire adult Canadian population been polled. The margin of error will be larger within regions and for other sub-groupings of the survey population. These data were statistically weighted to ensure the sample's regional and age/sex composition reflects that of the actual Canadian population according to the 2001 Census data. Six in Ten (57%) Think Bride Has the Most Influence When Selecting Bridal Registry Six in ten Canadians (57%) think that the bride has the most influence as to what items a couple selects for their registry, more than doubling the three in ten (27%) who say the bride and groom has equally influence the bridal registry. A small group of 6% believe that the bride's mother is the most influential when it comes to bridal registries; while even smaller groups say that close friends and relatives (3%) or store staff (3%) provide the most influence in selecting items for a bridal registry. Only 1% say the groom has the most influence, with another 1%who say the groom's mother has the most influence. The remaining 2% of respondents offer no opinion.

• Brides are likely to wield the most influence in British Columbia (68%), followed by Alberta (62%), Ontario (60%), Atlantic Canada (59%), and Saskatchewan/Manitoba (57%). While less than half (44%) of respondents in Quebec say the bride has the most influence.

• Quebec would seem to have the most power-sharing relationships when it comes to the bride and groom and their bridal registry, as 32% of Quebecers say the bride and groom equally influence item selection for the bridal registry. This is in comparison to 30% in Atlantic Canada, 26% in Ontario, 24% in Alberta and 24% in Saskatchewan/Manitoba, and 21% in British Columbia.

• In Quebec, men are significantly more likely than women to believe that the bride is the most influential when it comes to the bridal registry (49% vs. 39%). In contrast, women in Quebec are significantly more likely than men in Quebec to believe that the bride and groom equally influence the bridal registry (39% vs. 24%).

Nine in Ten (88%) Say Both Bride and Groom Should Make Wedding Decisions An overwhelming majority of nine in ten (88%) believe that both the bride and groom together should make most of the decisions concerning wedding plans. One in ten (10%) believe the bride and her family are the ones making the most wedding decisions, compared to only 1% saying the groom and his family make the most wedding decisions. The remaining 1% of respondents do not volunteer an opinion on this topic.

• Quebec (93%) leads the way as the place where the bride and groom together make wedding decisions, followed by Atlantic Canada (90%), Ontario (87%), British Columbia (86%), Saskatchewan/Manitoba (85%), Alberta (83%)

• Men are significantly more likely than women to believe the bride and her family should make most of the decisions concerning wedding plans (14% vs. 7%). But Women are significantly more likely than men to believe that the bride and the groom together make wedding plans (93% vs. 83%).

Cookware (65%) Gift Registry Item of Most Interest Followed by Small Kitchen Appliances (61%), and Sporting Goods (59%)

Two thirds (65%) of Canadians would be interested in receiving cookware as a wedding gift (38% somewhat interested, 27% very interested). Compared to a third (34%) who would not be interested in a gift of this sort (15% not very interested, 19% not at all interested). The remaining 1% say they don't know or refuse to answer.

• Cookware is a more popular bridal registry item in Alberta (76%), British Columbia (72%), Saskatchewan/Manitoba (71%), Ontario (67%), and Atlantic Canada (67%), than in Quebec (52%).

Six in ten (61%) would be interested in receiving a small kitchen appliance (39% somewhat interested, 22% very interested), but four in ten (39%) are not interested in such a bridal registry item (18% not very interested, 21% not at all interested).

• Small kitchen appliances generate the most interest in Alberta (75%), Saskatchewan/Manitoba (68%), and Atlantic Canada (67%), followed by Ontario (61%), British Columbia (59%), and Quebec (52%).

Another six in ten (59%) would be interested in sporting goods such as bikes, camping gear, and skates (30% somewhat interested, 29% very interested), matched up against 41% who would not be interested (16% not very interested, 24% not at all interested).

• Saskatchewan/Manitoba (68%) is the most fond of sporting good gifts, followed by British Columbia (65%), Alberta (64%), Quebec (59%, Atlantic Canada (58%), and Ontario (55%).
• The younger the respondent the more likely they are to be interested in sporting goods as bridal items (18-34 76%, 35-54 62%, 55+ 39%).

Barbecues appeal to close to six in ten (56%) as being bridal gifts of interest (30% somewhat interested, 26% very interested). But over four in ten 44% are not interested in receiving a barbeque (19% not very interested, 25% not at all interested).

• Two thirds of the residents of Saskatchewan/Manitoba (67%) and Alberta (65%) would be interested in receiving a barbeque, in comparison to Atlantic Canada (62%), Ontario (56%), British Columbia (52%), and Quebec (49%).

Other popular potential gifts are hand and power tools; with 55% saying they are interested in gift like this (27% somewhat interested, 28% very interested), and 45% saying they are not interested (20% not very interested, 25% not at all interested). And, patio furniture is a bridal gift of interest among just over half 53% of Canadians (29% somewhat interested, 24% very interested), but such a gift does not pique the interest (46%) of just under half (20% not very interested, 27% not at all interested).

• Men are significantly more likely than women to be interested in receiving hand and power tools (66% vs. 44%), sporting goods (65% vs. 54%), and barbeques (59% vs. 53%).

• Patio furniture is most popular in Saskatchewan/Manitoba (67%), compared to Ontario (54%), Atlantic Canada (53%), Quebec (52%), Alberta (51%) and British Columbia (48%).

Half (52%) are interested in receiving lawn and garden tools or accessories as a bridal registry gift (32% somewhat interested, 20% very interested), while the other half (48%) is not (21% not very interested, 27% not at all interested).

• Atlantic Canadians (64%) are the most interested in lawn garden tools or accessories as a bridal gift, with residents of Saskatchewan/Manitoba (60%), Ontario (57%) trailing. Alberta follows (52%), along with British Columbia (50%) and Quebec (39%).

Seven in Ten (69%) Say Recreational Activities Are Favourite Thing to Do With Romantic Partner

Seven in ten (69%) Canadians list recreational activities such as cycling, camping, skating, and in-line skating, as the things they most like to do with their partner. Just under half (45%) say they most enjoy home entertaining with their partner, while four in ten mention romantic activities (43%) and home decorating and renovation (42%) as their favourite things to with their partner. Three in ten (30%) most like to barbeque with their mate, and one quarter would choose gardening (26%). The remaining 4% would do other things or don't know. Because this is a multiple response question, total percentages will exceed 100%.

• Recreational activities are most popular in Quebec (80%) and Alberta (74%), followed by British Columbia (69%), Saskatchewan/Manitoba (66%), Atlantic Canada (63%), and Ontario (62%).

• Recreational activities have the most appeal among the young (80% 18-34, 69% 35-54, and 58% 55+); so do home entertaining (50% 18-34, 44% 35-54, 40% 55+), romantic activities (50% 18-34, 47% 35-54, 31% 55+) and barbequing (37% 18-34, 30% 35-54, 24% 55+). In contrast, gardening is more likely to be favoured by older respondents (12% 18-34, 23% 35-54, 46% 55+).

• Women are significantly more likely to prefer home decorating and renovation as a couples-activity than men (48% vs. 36%). But men are significantly more likely to favour recreational activities (74% men vs. 64% women), and romantic activities (48% men vs. 38% women).
• Home entertaining (40% In Quebec the young are significantly more likely to most like recreational activities with their partner (88% 18-34, 80% 35-54, 74% 55+). Almost twice as many younger Quebecers prefer barbequing than do middle aged or older Quebecers (39% 18-34 vs. 21% 35 and older).
• Quebec men are also more likely to most enjoy recreational couple activities than women (84% men vs. 76% women).

Please open the attached PDF to view the factum and detailed tables.

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For more information on this news release, please contact:

John Wright
Senior Vice-President
Ipsos-Reid Public Affairs
(416) 324-2900