Eurostat: Close to 60% of EU’s internet users are shopping online

Close to 60% of EU’s internet users are shopping online, as an Eurostat press release shows, indicating that clothes, travel and holiday accommodation are some of the most common online purchases.

According to Eurostat, the internet access is widespread in the 28 countries of the European Union, with people using it for numerous activities, including ordering goods and services online.

In EU’s countries, 75% people aged 16-74 y.o. used the internet during the last 12 month, with nearly 60% of them shopping online.

The highest share of online shoppers are registered in UK (82% of internet users), Denmark and Sweden (both 79%), Germany (77%), Luxembourg (73%) and Finland (72%). The lowest numbers when it comes of online shopping are posted by Romania (11%), Bulgaria (17%), Estonia and Italy (both 29%).

Internet users from UK lead in online purchases when it comes of clothes and food, Swedes are on the first place when it comes of travelling and Luxembourg – when it is about buying books online.

For the entire European Union, the  most common internet shopping is done for clothes & sports goods and booking travel & holiday accommodation.

When it comes of clothes & sports goods and travel & holiday accommodation, one third of internet users purchased online during the previous 12 months (both 32% in 2012 compared with 21% in 2008). Almost one quarter of internet users said they bought books, magazines or e-learning materials from the internet (23% in 2012 compared with 19% in 2008), while fewer than one internet user in ten ordered food & groceries online (9% in 2012 compared with 6% in 2008).

United Kingdom (51%) and Germany (49%) had the highest shares of internet users having purchased clothes & sports goods online in the previous 12 months. Sweden (60%) had the highest proportion reporting that they booked travel & holiday accommodation online, followed by Denmark (56%). Buying books, magazines or e-learning material online was most common in Luxembourg (47%) and Germany(41%). The United Kingdom (21%) was the leading Member State for online food & grocery shopping, while in the majority of EU states this share was 10% or less.