4. December 2024

3 min. reading

European Union E-commerce Report 2024: Regional Market Analysis

Regional Market Analysis reveals the evolving state of the European Union's digital marketplace. The Eurostat regional yearbook 2024 highlights diverse trends in online commerce across regions. This analysis examines recent developments in digital trade, focusing on consumer behavior and individual selling patterns throughout the EU.

Trends in Online Sales

During a three-month period in 2023, roughly one-fifth (19.9%) of EU citizens between the ages of 16 and 74 sold goods online. Although it noticeably leaves out straightforward ad postings, like selling used goods through classified ads, this number includes a variety of digital commerce activities, including the sale of both goods and services.

According to the study, 58.1% of EU citizens between the ages of 16 and 74 made purchases online in 2023.

Considering online orders, whether paid for and delivered online or offline, as e-commerce transactions, but we exclude manual email orders.

Age Demographics in Online Selling

Online selling behavior shows a pronounced generational divide. With 28.7% of them engaging in online selling, the 25–34 age group exhibits the highest level of involvement. This is a 3.9-fold difference from the 7.4% of people in the 65–74 age group who sell online.

Regional Leaders in Online Commerce

With Noord-Holland leading the way at 44.5% participation, the Netherlands dominates the top-performing regions. Flevoland was the only Dutch region outside the top tier, with eleven of the twelve exhibiting outstanding performance.

Other areas with strong performance include:

Several parts of Hungary, including Budapest
The capital region of Slovakia (Bratislava region)
Finland‘s Helsinki-Uusimaa
A few areas in France, Denmark, Belgium, and Malta

Source: Eurostat

Lower Engagement Areas

Conversely, some regions show significantly lower participation rates. Fifteen EU regions reported less than 7.5% of their population engaging in online selling, primarily concentrated in southeastern Europe:

Romania’s five regions, with the Vest region having the lowest rate at 2.5%
Greece’s four regions
Three Bulgarian regions
Poland’s two regions
Spain’s one autonomous region

Geographic Distribution and Demographics

Online shopping reveals notable demographic differences, with the 25-34 age group being the most active at 74.4% participation. The participation rate drops significantly for older age groups, with only 29.7% of those aged 65-74 engaging in online shopping.

There is also a clear urban-rural divide, as urban residents show higher engagement at 61.9% compared to rural residents at 53.9%.

Regional Superiority in Online Sales

A number of areas are notable for their remarkable adoption of e-commerce, with Utrecht, Netherlands, leading the way at 87.8% participation. Noord-Holland follows closely behind at 86.4%, while Overijssel shows impressive engagement with 85.9% of residents participating in online shopping.

Over 80% of consumers in 21 EU regions made purchases online, with significant representation from:

Netherlands (11 regions)
Sweden (four regions)
Denmark (three regions)
Ireland (two regions)
Czech Republic (region of Praha)

Source: Eurostat

Opportunities for Development

Twenty regions have e-commerce participation rates below 35%, indicating lower adoption in some areas. These regions are primarily concentrated in Eastern Europe, particularly in Bulgaria and Romania, as well as southern Italy, France’s outermost regions, and one area of Poland.

With different regional and demographic trends in how people buy and sell things, this digital commerce landscape shows both the chances and challenges of getting everyone in the EU to consistently participate in the digital market.

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