Europe Is Shopping Online Like Never Before: The Numbers Behind the Digital Boom
E-commerce & Digital Fairness · Based on the data from the Consumer Conditions Scoreboard 2025
Shopping online is no longer a niche habit – it has become a normal part of daily life for most Europeans. This InfoCons Consumer Protection guide looks at how fast online shopping, internet banking and online selling have grown, and what it means for consumers.
InfoCons Consumer Protection Explains: What the Figures Show
The figures track the share of EU adults who do different things online, and how the volume of online retail sales has changed since January 2019. They show a clear, steady move towards the digital marketplace, year after year.
Source: Eurostat. Based on the data from the Consumer Conditions Scoreboard 2025.
InfoCons Consumer Protection – The Full Picture: How Online Habits Grew
Between 2020 and 2024, the main online activities of EU adults all increased:
- Bought something online in the last three months – from 53.8% to 60.2%
- Used internet banking – from 57.7% to 67.2%
- Sold goods or services online – from about 19.5% to 22.7%
InfoCons Consumer Protection – Online activities of EU adults, 2024 vs 2020. Based on the data from the Consumer Conditions Scoreboard 2025.
InfoCons Consumer Protection – Buying Online: 60.2% and Rising
The share of adults who bought something online in the previous three months rose by more than seven percentage points in four years, reaching 60.2% in 2024. Online shopping is now the mainstream way many Europeans buy goods and services.
InfoCons Consumer Protection – Internet Banking: Now Two in Three Adults
Internet banking grew even faster, from 57.7% to 67.2% – about two in three adults. Managing money online has become routine, which makes digital security and clear, fair terms more important than ever.
InfoCons Consumer Protection – Selling Online: Consumers Are Sellers Too
It is not only about buying: 22.7% of adults sold goods or services through online platforms in 2024. More and more consumers are also sellers – which means they need to understand their obligations as well as their rights.
InfoCons Consumer Protection – Online Retail Sales: More Than 50% Up Since 2019
The shift shows up in sales data too. The volume of monthly retail sales made via mail order and the internet was more than 50% higher in late 2024 than in January 2019. Over the same period, retail sales overall grew by less than 10% – so online is where almost all the growth happened.
InfoCons Consumer Protection – Online retail sales grew far faster than retail overall. Based on the data from the Consumer Conditions Scoreboard 2025.
InfoCons Consumer Protection – What This Means for You as a Consumer
As more of life moves online, knowing your rights matters more. InfoCons Consumer Protection encourages consumers to buy from sellers with clear contact details and return policies, keep order confirmations and receipts, use secure payment methods, and remember the 14-day right to withdraw from most online purchases. When selling online, be honest about what you offer and know that you may have obligations as a seller too.
Signature: InfoCons Consumer Protection Department