43/2009 - 27 March 2009
European Consumer Summit
Nearly one third of individuals in the EU27
shopped on the internet in 2008
Travel and clothes most popular purchases
In 2008, 32% of individuals1 aged 16-74 in the EU27 had bought or ordered goods or services for private use over
the internet at least once in the last 12 months. Shopping over the internet increased steadily from 20% of
individuals in 2004 and 26% in 2006 to 30% in 2007. Between 2004 and 2008, all EU Member States, for which
data are available, registered an increase in e-shopping.
In connection with the European Consumer Summit2 on 1-2 April 2009 in Brussels, Eurostat, the Statistical
Office of the European Communities presents a selection of statistics concerning e-shopping taken from the
2008 survey on Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) usage in households and by individuals3 in the
EU27. The EU Commission hosts this first European Consumer Summit, which will focus on the challenges and
opportunities of the digital world.
Highest share of e-shoppers among those aged 25-34
In the EU27, the highest share of e-shoppers in 2008 was found in the age group 25-34 (47% of individuals in this
age group). E-shopping was nearly as common among those aged 16-24 (41%) and 35-44 (40%), while it was less
common in the older age groups: 45-54 (31%), 55-64 (20%) and 65-74 (9%).
The most popular types of goods and services purchased over the internet in the EU27 were travel & holiday
accommodation (14% of individuals had bought or ordered such services in the last 12 months), clothes & sports
goods (13%), books & magazines (12%), household goods and tickets for events (both 11%), film & music (9%)
and electronic equipment (8%).
More than half of individuals shopped on the internet in Denmark, the United Kingdom, the
Netherlands, Germany, Sweden and Finland
In 2008, more than half of individuals aged 16-74 in Denmark (59%), the United Kingdom (57%), the
Netherlands (56%), Germany and Sweden (both 53%) and Finland (51%) had bought or ordered goods or
services over the internet in the last 12 months. On the other hand, less than 10% of individuals had shopped over
the internet in Bulgaria (3%), Romania (4%), Lithuania (6%), Greece and Cyprus (both 9%).
In most of the Member States, the highest proportion of e-shoppers was recorded in the age group 25-34. The only
exceptions were Malta, Slovenia, Slovakia and Bulgaria, where the proportion was highest among those aged
16-24.
Finland was the Member State with the highest proportion of those who had bought travel & holiday
accommodation (31%) and clothes & sports goods (27%), while Luxembourg was highest for books & magazines
(29%), Germany for household goods (26%) and electronic equipment (18%), Denmark for tickets for events
(28%) and the United Kingdom for film & music (24%).
Individuals having bought or ordered goods or services for private use over the Internet
(% of individuals aged 16-74)
2004
EU27
By age in 2008:
2008
16-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65-74
20
26
32
41
47
40
31
20
9
Belgium
:
19
21
22
35
28
19
12
5
Bulgaria
1
2
3
6
6
2
1
:
0
Czech Republic
5
13
23
35
36
26
19
10
2
Denmark
42
55
59
76
81
71
59
41
19
Germany
37
49
53
64
80
69
53
34
15
Estonia
6
7
10
13
20
13
8
:
:
Ireland
14
28
36
34
52
44
30
19
8
Greece
1
5
9
16
16
12
5
2
0
Spain
8
15
20
26
33
22
16
7
2
France
:
22
40
48
63
47
41
26
9
Italy
:
9
11
15
19
14
10
5
1
Cyprus
4
7
9
11
17
11
5
4
1
Latvia
3
8
16
23
28
20
12
6
1
Lithuania
1
4
6
10
11
6
3
1
0
40
44
49
52
65
62
49
29
17
Luxembourg
:
2006
Hungary
4
7
14
16
22
17
13
7
3
Malta
:
14
22
44
36
21
13
7
4
Netherlands
:
48
56
65
77
73
54
38
14
Austria
19
32
37
49
57
43
33
21
8
Poland
5
12
18
34
34
20
10
:
:
Portugal
5
7
10
18
20
14
6
3
:
Romania
0
1
4
7
7
3
2
1
:
Slovenia
8
13
18
34
32
22
10
4
1
Slovakia
10
11
23
33
32
27
20
8
1
Finland
33
44
51
71
79
65
49
26
11
Sweden
43
55
53
67
70
64
55
37
17
United Kingdom
37
45
57
64
72
68
58
44
24
Data not available or not reliable
Types of goods and services bought or ordered for private use over the internet, 2008
(% of individuals aged 16-74)
Travel &
Any goods
holiday
or services accommodation
EU27
32
Belgium
21
8
Bulgaria
3
0
Czech Rep.
23
3
Denmark
59
Germany
53
Estonia
Clothes &
Books,
Household Tickets for
sports
magazines
goods
events
goods
& e-learning
12
11
11
9
8
5
5
3
6
4
3
1
1
0
0
1
0
9
6
5
7
2
7
30
24
17
10
28
20
17
22
26
28
26
19
17
18
10
3
3
2
2
6
1
1
Ireland
36
21
7
9
3
12
10
5
Greece
9
2
2
2
1
1
1
2
Spain
20
12
4
4
3
7
2
3
France
40
18
19
14
16
13
11
5
Italy
11
4
3
3
2
2
2
2
Cyprus
9
3
2
2
1
0
2
2
Latvia
16
3
5
1
5
5
1
6
6
2
1
1
1
2
1
1
Luxembourg
49
27
15
29
11
22
18
10
Hungary
14
3
3
6
2
3
2
2
Malta
22
4
6
6
3
2
6
6
Netherlands
56
26
22
21
12
21
13
14
Austria
37
11
14
16
9
9
8
9
Poland
18
2
8
5
6
2
3
4
Portugal
10
4
3
3
1
2
2
2
Romania
4
1
1
2
0
0
2
0
Slovenia
18
5
5
4
5
3
2
4
Slovakia
23
4
9
5
5
4
3
4
Finland
51
31
27
20
14
25
16
12
Sweden
53
27
18
19
7
22
16
11
United Kingdom
57
27
24
21
23
21
24
15
Lithuania
14
13
Electronic
equipment
(incl.
cameras)
Film &
music
1. The survey covered individuals aged 16-74. The data collection period was mainly the second quarter of 2008. The
individuals were asked if they had bought or ordered goods or services for private use over the internet in the 12 months
prior to the survey at home or at any other location. If so, they were also asked what types of goods or services they had
bought or ordered in this time period (multiple replies possible).
2. For more information on the European Consumer Summit: http://www.european-consumer-summit.eu/
3. See also News Release 169/2008 of 2 December 2008 on Internet access and use in the EU27 in 2008.
Issued by: Eurostat Press Office
For further information on data:
Johan WULLT
Tel: +352-4301-33 444
[email protected]
Heidi SEYBERT
Tel: +352-4301- 37 416
[email protected]
Eurostat news releases on the Internet:
http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat