E-commerce in the European Union (EU) is going from strength to strength. Over the last decade, all countries in the region have experienced huge growth in the number of consumers shopping online. And now, more than ever, with more and more digital natives entering the job market, the trend is for the number of online consumers to increase even more. Therefore, it is time to set up your e-commerce in the EU. Keep reading and learn more about this subject!
E-COMMERCE NUMBERS IN THE EUROPEAN UNION
According to data from the Eurostat statistics office cited by the Practical E-commerce blog , the number of online consumers has increased in all European Union countries over the last decade. In Austria, for example, only 48% of the population shopped online in 2012 compared to 66% in 2022. Meanwhile, Portugal had 22% of consumers using e-commerce ten years ago, and today it has 54%.
Other countries like Denmark, for example, have surpassed the 80% barrier of active online consumers. To give you an idea, in Denmark it was 73% in 2012 and now it is 88%. Meanwhile, in Ireland it was 46% a decade ago and today it is 85%.
However, only one EU country has seen an increase in the number of consumers above 90%. This is Norway, which, in 2012, already had 76% of buyers in e-commerce. Today, however, this number reaches 92% in that country, a great place to launch an online store.
Consumers by age
According to Eurostat, in European Union e-commerce, consumers of all ages are buying more. Observe the percentage of consumers who made purchases in 2012 and, subsequently, in 2022 in the table below:
| age group | % of consumers in 2012 | % of consumers in 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| 16 the 24 years | 53 % | 81 % |
| 25 the 34 years | 62 % | 87 % |
| 35 the 44 years | 59 % | 83 % |
| 45 the 54 years | 54 % | 74 % |
| 55 the 74 years | 46 % | 59 % |
As you can see, e-commerce in the European Union is doing very well, thank you. In fact, launching an online store in countries within this region can be very successful for entrepreneurs like you, regardless of nationality. Furthermore, taking this opportunity, remember that you can always count on the support of Agência e-Plus to create, migrate, implement, integrate, promote, and manage your online store anywhere in the world. To hire our support, click the button below and start a conversation with our team right now:
LIST OF MOST PURCHASED ITEMS
According to Eurostat, among European Union consumers:
- 42% buy clothes, shoes and accessories on e-commerce;
- 19% place orders in restaurants;
- 17% buy cosmetics and beauty and wellness products;
- 16% purchase furniture or gardening items;
- 14% buy books, magazines and newspapers on e-commerce;
- 14% purchase sporting goods (except clothing);
- 13% are computers, tablets and cell phones;
- 13% buy medicines or dietary supplements;
- 12% purchase products for children or childcare items in e-commerce;
- 11% prefer to buy food, drinks and meal kits;
- 10% buy consumer electronics or appliances;
- 9% purchase cleaning or personal hygiene items;
- 8% buy bicycles, mopeds and cars;
- 4% come from CDs and vinyl records;
- 3% prefer to buy films or series on DVDs and Blu-ray.
Ultimately, fashion e-commerce leads e-commerce in the European Union. However, that doesn't mean there aren't other promising categories. The cosmetics area, for example, is very interesting for those who want to set up an online store in Europe.
- As soon as you can click on “Floria migrates to VTEX” and get to know the CASE from the largest flower shop in Romania, a country belonging to the European Union!
HOW TO SET UP AN E-COMMERCE IN THE EUROPEAN UNION?
To set up an e-commerce business in the European Union, rely on the support of Agência e-Plus. Through the VTEX BOOST program , for example, Agência e-Plus can develop your online store in Portugal with the VTEX platform integrated with the E-goi Marketing Automation platform.
With over 10 years of experience and global recognition from the VTEX Quadrant , e-Plus Agency is the preferred agency for retailers and wholesalers looking to digitize their businesses or migrate their e-commerce platforms. To hire us, click the button below and start a conversation with our team:
