From fashion and streaming subscriptions to concert tickets and restaurant deliveries, online shopping has become part of everyday life across the European Union. Eurostat data reveals what consumers buy — and where the digital experience still falls short.
Buying something online has become an ordinary part of life across Europe. A new jacket, a subscription to watch a favourite series, tickets for a concert or dinner delivered to the door can all be arranged without visiting a physical shop.
According to Eurostat’s Digitalisation in Europe – 2026 edition, 78% of people in the EU bought or ordered goods or services online in 2025, up from 62% in 2015. The figures point to how firmly online shopping has become embedded in everyday consumer habits.
Clothing remains the most popular online purchase, but digital spending extends well beyond physical products. Streaming subscriptions, event tickets, transport bookings and restaurant deliveries are also part of the picture, reflecting the range of goods and services people can now access online.
Clothes Remain Europe’s Favourite Online Purchase
Fashion continues to lead the online shopping basket.
Eurostat found that 70% of people in the EU who had bought something online in the three months preceding the 2024 survey purchased clothes, shoes or accessories. The figure refers to recent online shoppers, rather than the entire EU population.
The appeal is straightforward. Online retailers allow consumers to compare prices, browse different styles and access brands that may not be available in their local shopping streets. For shoppers looking for a particular item, a website can offer a wider selection than a single physical store.
For fashion brands, online platforms have also become an important route to customers. Shoppers can discover a new label through social media, compare products across retailers and place an order without visiting a shop.
The statistics do not explain why people choose to buy clothes online, nor do they measure how much consumers spend on fashion. They do show that digital retail has become a central part of the European fashion shopping experience.
Streaming Is Part of the Digital Shopping Basket
Online purchases are not limited to products that arrive in a parcel.
In the same 2024 survey, 46% of recent online shoppers in the EU had purchased subscriptions to films, series or sports streaming services.
Streaming is a different kind of purchase from clothing. Instead of buying a physical item, consumers pay for access to entertainment over a period of time. A subscription can provide films, television series or live sports through an internet-connected device, often without the need for a traditional television package.
The figures also highlight how online shopping overlaps with entertainment consumption. Digital platforms are not just places to buy products; they are also gateways to the films, series and sporting events that people watch at home or on the move.
The Eurostat data measures whether respondents purchased these subscriptions. It does not indicate how many subscriptions each person holds, which platforms they use or how much they spend on them.
Concert Tickets, Travel and Dinner — All Online
The digital shopping basket also includes experiences and everyday services.
Eurostat reported that 38% of recent online shoppers in the EU had purchased tickets to events in the 2024 survey. The same proportion had bought transport services from an enterprise online.
Accommodation bookings and restaurant deliveries were also common. Each was reported by 33% of recent online shoppers.
These figures offer a glimpse into how digital services fit into daily routines. Someone planning a weekend away might book transport, reserve accommodation and buy tickets for a concert through different websites or apps. On another evening, ordering dinner online can be an alternative to cooking or going out.
For consumers, the appeal may lie in convenience, the ability to compare options or the flexibility to make arrangements outside normal shop opening hours. For businesses, online platforms offer another way to reach customers and complete transactions.
The data does not show that every purchase takes place on a smartphone, or how frequently people use each service. It does demonstrate that online shopping now covers a broad mix of physical products, entertainment and real-world experiences.
The Online Experience Still Has Its Frustrations
Convenience is only part of the story. Buying online can also bring problems that consumers would not necessarily encounter in the same way in a physical shop.
Eurostat found that 35% of EU online shoppers who had made purchases in the previous three months in 2025 encountered problems when shopping through a website or app.
The most frequently reported issue was slower delivery than indicated, cited by 20% of online shoppers. Another 11% said a website was too difficult to use or did not work satisfactorily, while 10% reported receiving incorrect or damaged goods or services.
These figures highlight the practical details that shape the online shopping experience. A product may be easy to find and order, but delayed delivery, a confusing checkout process or a damaged item can undermine that convenience.
They also provide a useful counterpoint to the growth in online purchasing. Digital shopping is widespread, but a smooth experience is not guaranteed for every customer.
Online Shopping Habits Differ Across Europe
Although online purchasing is common across the EU, national figures vary considerably.
In 2025, the share of people who bought goods or services online during the previous 12 months ranged from 57% in Bulgaria and 62% in Italy to 94% in the Netherlands and 95% in Ireland.
Age also makes a difference. Eurostat reported online shopping among 84% of people aged 16 to 24, 81% of those aged 25 to 64 and 55% of those aged 65 to 74.
The figures suggest that online shopping has reached well beyond younger consumers, even though participation remains lower among older age groups. Differences between countries also show that Europe does not have one uniform pattern of digital consumption.
The statistics do not explain the reasons behind these differences. Access to digital services, shopping preferences and local retail conditions may all be relevant, but the headline figures alone cannot establish their individual effects.
What the Numbers Say About Everyday Life
Europe’s online shopping habits now encompass much more than ordering clothes or household goods. Digital purchases can be part of getting dressed, planning a trip, watching a film, attending a live event or deciding what to eat for dinner.
Eurostat’s figures provide a snapshot of these routines. In 2025, 78% of people in the EU bought or ordered goods or services online, compared with 62% a decade earlier. The detailed 2024 data shows how clothing, streaming subscriptions, event tickets and restaurant deliveries feature in the online shopping basket.
The experience is not without drawbacks. Delivery delays and difficulties using websites or apps continue to affect a significant share of online shoppers.
For consumers, the question may no longer be simply whether to shop online, but which purchases are easier to arrange digitally and which still benefit from an in-person experience. For retailers and service providers, the challenge is to make online transactions reliable enough that convenience extends beyond the moment an order is placed.
The change is not just about where Europeans buy things. It is also about how shopping, entertainment, travel and everyday services fit together in an increasingly digital life.
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