
Nearly 60% of EU internet users shop online – Clothes, travel
& holiday accommodation: most common online purchases – Internet access
in the EU28 is widespread and today people use the internet for a wide range of
activities, among others to order goods and services online.
In the EU28 in
2012, 75% of individuals aged 16 to 74 had used the internet in the previous 12
months, and nearly 60% of these internet users reported that they had shopped
online. Among the Member States, the highest shares of online shoppers were
registered in the United Kingdom (82% of internet users), Denmark and Sweden
(both 79%), Germany (77%), Luxembourg (73%) and Finland (72%), and the lowest
in Romania (11%), Bulgaria (17%), Estonia and Italy (both 29%). In the context
of the European Year of citizens 2013, the week from 14 to 20 October 2013 is
dedicated to "Shopping online". On this occasion, Eurostat, the statistical
office of the European Union, publishes data on online purchases by individuals
coming from its annual survey on Information and Communication Technologies
(ICT) usage in households and by individuals.