Photo illustration by The Globe and Mail. Sources: Evan Agostini/CP, Canadian Tire
There’s no question that tote bags are in vogue. You can’t traverse a busy downtown street or visit a trendy market without seeing them everywhere – slung over shoulders with leafy heads of kale or newly purchased books poking out. Or, in Hudson Williams’s case, paper towels and perhaps other miscellaneous household items from a century-old Canadian retail brand.
Over the weekend, the Heated Rivalry star sparked a tote bag frenzy when he was seen holding a branded red, white and black plaid Canadian Tire reusable tote bag while out in Toronto alongside his co-star Connor Storrie. The actors are reportedly filming the second season of the hit show in the city.
The shopping bag quickly took off. Online, social media posters were eager to snag their own $1.99 piece of Hudson Williams-approved Canadian merch, with fans snapping photos and filming videos of their victorious purchases. Some chimed in from across the border, asking if successful buyers would be willing to ship the bag internationally to places including the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia.
“Is this the Canadian answer to Trader Joe’s?” asked one commenter on Instagram.
“He could have saved HBC,” another wrote, referring to the now-shuttered Canadian department store Hudson’s Bay Company (whose iconic stripes are now in fact owned by Canadian Tire).
One Instagram account even made a faux Historica Canada Heritage Minutes graphic of the now-viral image.
By Tuesday afternoon, several stores in the Greater Toronto Area were sold out of the bag. On Wednesday morning, the item was listed as out of stock on the Canadian Tire website in some areas.
“We’ve definitely seen a surge in demand on our plaid reusable tote since Saturday,” Eva Salem, senior vice-president of marketing and brand at Canadian Tire, told The Globe in an e-mail.
The company said the bags sold on Monday and Tuesday represented 30 times the number of bags they usually sell. The shopping bag has been on the market since 2025. And yes, there are plans to restock the item. “Some stores still have stock, and those stores that have sold out will be restocked shortly,” the company confirmed via e-mail.
(In Canada, single-use plastic shopping bags were banned in 2022. Shoppers typically opt to purchase inexpensive alternatives – like the plaid reusable bag Williams selected – to carry out their purchased belongings.)
Victoria Organa, a Toronto-based digital creator, took to Instagram to explain the viral trend. Her video has now been viewed on the app more than 15,000 times. “It’s the Hudson Williams effect!” one commenter wrote. In the video, Organa chalks the shopping bag’s popularity up to the actor’s global influence. “Say what you want about celebrity culture, but celebrities do have influence.” She lists a number of items that have also experienced a surge in popularity after being worn by Williams, including shorts and jewellery.
After skyrocketing to fame almost overnight upon Heated Rivalry’s series release, Williams and Storrie have evolved into objects of fascination for fans and paparazzi. The stars are so recognizable that the fandom is almost uncontrollable, with the show’s official Instagram account posting a written statement on Tuesday requesting “space” for the show’s cast and crew during filming.
Others online weren’t as taken by the stars – or the shopping bag trend – with one poster writing, “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think the Canadian Tire bag is my last straw.”
“Are Canadians really excited about a plaid plastic bag?” said another poster on Threads. “Aren’t we better than that?”
It’s not the first time the show and its actors have sparked online fervour over a retail item. After the release of the first season, fans enthusiastically lobbied for character Shane Hollander’s Team Canada fleece jacket to be manufactured and sold for purchase. Province of Canada, a made-in-Canada apparel brand, took on the challenge and the item became available for presale on June 3. It sold out in just 10 minutes.
