TORONTO - With grocery list in hand, more Canadian men are taking on the family grocery shopping, according to a report released Tuesday.

"Men are handling the grocery shopping more than ever before, either on their own or shared with their spouse," says Julie Wilson, director of public affairs for MasterCard Canada, which commissioned the study.

The era of females dominating household grocery shopping is over, she says. In households with couples or multiple adults, 15 per cent can have a male who holds primary responsibility for grocery shopping and 41 per cent share the responsibility equally, the study found.

"Men are grocery shopping more because they say it gives them time with their spouse/partner or family," adds Wilson. "In contrast, women are more likely to shop independently and say it gives them some time alone."

What the online study did find is that men shoppers are more indulgent than women in their buying habits.

"Men tend to buy treats like three different kinds of potato chips, while women tend to choose household items such as detergent, cleaning supplies and paper items," she says.

While younger Canadians under age 60 appear to enjoy grocery shopping, Wilson says aging has a significant impact on shopper attitude and behaviour.

"Shopping enjoyment decreases steadily as consumers age, particularly among older women," she says.

"When you think about it, grocery shopping is not an easy task when you are in your 60s or 70s," she explains. "The weight of the shopping bags, the convenience or lack of it with parking and the size of some supermarkets can be a chore for older shoppers."

The study found that the average Canadian household spends over $7,000 annually on groceries. Wilson says that would be the sum for a family of four, with two adults and two children.

Asked if they faced poor economic conditions, most of the 1,000 respondents said they were unsure about which items they would likely stop purchasing.

Wilson says the study found that shopping behaviours and attitudes vary across the country.

Overall, Quebecers get the greatest enjoyment from shopping and are the only region to prefer to shop mid-week.

For general stock-up trips, Canadians living in western Canada spend more time shopping than any other region. And residents of Quebec, at 50 per cent, and Ontario, at 49 per cent, are highly likely to take reusable bags when grocery shopping.