Brussels, 27/03/2009 (Agence Europe) - According to data collected by the Community's statistical office, Eurostat, internet purchases are increasing in the European Union. In 2008, 32% of all persons aged between 16 and 74 in the EU27 had bought or ordered goods or services online for their private use at least once during the previous twelve months, Eurostat says. The percentage of individuals using the internet for online purchases has continued to grow, from 20% in 2004 to 26% in 2006 and 30% in 2007. Between 2004 and 2008, all EU member states for which data are available recorded a rise in online purchasing.
The largest proportion of online buyers was amongst those aged 25-34 (47% of people of this age having bought on the internet). Online commerce was almost as frequent for those aged 16-24 (41%) and those of 35 to 44 (40%), while it was less frequent for older age groups: - 31% of online buyers in the 45 to 54 age group, 20% in the 55 to 64 age group and 9% aged 65 to 74. In the EU27, the preferred types of goods and services most bought on the internet have been travel and accommodation services (14% of individuals having bought or ordered such services over the past 12 months), clothing and sports articles (13%), books and magazines (12%), household articles as well as entry tickets to demonstrations (11% each), films and music (9%) and electronic equipment (8%).
In 2008, over half of all people aged 16 to 74 had bought or ordered goods or services via the internet over the past twelve months in Denmark (59%), the United Kingdom (57%), the Netherlands (56%), Germany and Sweden (53% each) and Finland 51%). On the other hand, fewer than 10% had made online purchases in Bulgaria (3%), Romania (4%), Lithuania (6%) and Greece and Cyprus (9% each). In most member states, the largest proportion of online buyers was in the 25-34 age group, the only exceptions being Malta, Slovenia, Slovakia and Bulgaria, where the proportion was the highest in the 16-24 age group. Finland was the member state that had registered the largest proportion of online buyers of travel and accommodation services (31%) as well as clothing and sports articles (27%); Luxembourg books and magazines (29%), Germany household articles (26%) as well as electronic equipment (18%), Denmark entry tickets to events (28%) and the United Kingdom films and music (24%). (O.J./transl.jl)