E-commerce statistics

Data extracted in February 2024.

Planned article update: February 2025.

Highlights

In 2022, 17.1 % of EU enterprises conducted e-sales using only websites or apps, 3.2 % used only (electronic data interchange) EDI-type sales while another 2.6 % used both.

In EU enterprises, the e-commerce turnover via own websites or apps was in 2022 more than 6 times higher than via market places.

In the EU accommodation sector, 99.7 % of enterprises making e-sales in 2022 received orders via websites or apps.

E-sales broken down by web sales and EDI-type sales, 2021 (% enterprises)
Source: Eurostat (isoc_ec_esels)

This article focuses on the electronic commerce (e-commerce) statistics in the European Union (EU) and is based on the results of the 2023 survey on 'ICT usage and e-commerce in enterprises'. E-commerce refers here to the trading of goods or services over computer networks such as the internet by methods specifically designed for the purpose of receiving or placing orders. This article refers to e-commerce sales (e-sales) where enterprise receive orders.

As the questions regarding the e-commerce sales in the survey refer to the previous calendar year, this article refers in particular to e-commerce sales carried out in 2022.

Full article

E-sales record a slight increase over recent years

In the EU, during the period 2012 to 2022, the share of enterprises that had e-sales increased from 16.4 % in 2012 to 22.9 % in 2022. The enterprises' turnover generated from e-sales increased by 4.9 percentage points (pp) during the same period, namely from 13.1 % to 18.0 %, although the turnover recorded in 2022 decreased by 1.8 pp compared with the highest share recorded in 2019 and 2020 (Figure 1).

Figure 1: E-sales and turnover from e-sales, EU, 2012 to 2022
(% of enterprises, % of total turnover)
Source: Eurostat (isoc_ec_esels) and (isoc_ec_evals)

The share of enterprises conducting e-sales and the turnover generated from e-sales varied significantly depending on the size of the enterprises. In 2022, 45.9 % of large enterprises conducted e-sales, corresponding to an e-sales value of 22.9 % of total turnover in this size class. Of the medium sized enterprises, 30.2 % made e-sales generating 15.1 % of total turnover in this size class. By contrast, 20.8 % of small enterprises engaged in e-sales, generating 8.1 % of the turnover of such enterprises (Figure 2).

Figure 2: E-sales and turnover from e-sales, by size class, EU, 2022
(% of enterprises, % of total turnover)
Source: Eurostat (isoc_ec_esels) and (isoc_ec_evals)

Web sales dominant in all EU countries

E-sales can be carried out via websites or apps (web sales) or in an automated way via EDI (electronic data interchange) type messages; enterprises may offer one or both options to their clients. In 2022, among the EU countries, the percentage of enterprises making e-sales ranged from 12.9 % in Romania and 13.4 % in Luxembourg to 38.9 % in Lithuania followed by Sweden (38.1 %), Denmark (36.7 %) and Ireland (35.1 %) (Figure 3).

Figure 3: E-sales broken down by web sales and EDI-type sales, 2022
(% of enterprises)
Source: Eurostat (isoc_ec_esels)

As shown in Figure 3, in 2022, 17.1 % of EU enterprises conducted e-sales using only websites or apps, 3.2 % used only EDI-type sales while 2.6 % used both channels of e-sales.

Web sales was the dominant mode of conducting e-sales in all EU Member States in 2022. The percentage of enterprises receiving electronic orders only over websites or apps ranged from 33.7 % in Lithuania to 9.6 % in Romania. Enterprises consider it important to be visible on the internet. Consequently, websites or apps are increasingly offered by enterprises for various purposes. In particular, websites or apps allow customers to purchase by placing their orders electronically.

By contrast, in 2022, the percentage of enterprises that used only EDI-type messages for their e-sales ranged from 8.1 % of enterprises in Denmark and 8 % in Sweden to less than 1 % in Greece (0.4 %). The percentage of enterprises using both channels was highest in Denmark and Sweden (both above 6 %) and lowest in Greece (0.6 %) and Bulgaria (0.7 %).

Considering the economic activity breakdown, as shown in Figure 4, in 2022, almost all enterprises conducting e-sales in the 'Accommodation' sector received orders via websites or apps (99.7 %), while 7.3 % had e-sales via EDI-type messages.

Figure 4: E-sales broken down by web sales and EDI-type sales, by economic activity, EU, 2022
(% of enterprises with e-sales)
Source: Eurostat (isoc_ec_eseln2)

Almost half of enterprises in 'Manufacturing' making e-sales reported that they received orders via EDI-type messages (48.2 %), followed by enterprises in the 'Transport and storage' sector (32.8 %) and 'Professional, scientific and technical activities' (26.5 %). For 'Manufacturing' enterprises, the percentages of those that conducted e-sales via websites or apps and those who used EDI-type messages were relatively close compared with enterprises in other activities, 67.3 % and 48.2 % respectively. For all other economic activities, most enterprises received their electronic orders mainly via websites or apps (Figure 4).

It is noticeable that, among the small enterprises making e-sales, 89.7 % of enterprises had web sales, with 19.6 % of sales via EDI-type messages. For medium enterprises, the difference between the shares of sales via the two channels was smaller, with 77.5 % of enterprises having e-sales via websites and 39 % having EDI-type sales. The percentage gap between web and EDI-type sales was the smallest for large enterprises (Figure 5).

Figure 5: E-sales broken down by web sales and EDI-type sales, by size class, EU, 2022
(% of enterprises with e-sales)
Source: Eurostat (isoc_ec_esels)

Share of turnover greater from EDI-type sales than web sales

While the enterprises conducting e-sales in 2022 mostly sold via websites, rather than via EDI-type messages, in terms of the value of those electronic sales the tendency was the opposite, as the turnover generated from the EDI-type sales was greater than the one generated from web sales. In 2022, EU enterprises generated 18 % of their total turnover from e-sales, consisting of orders via websites or apps (6.7 % of the total turnover) or via EDI-type messages (11.2 % of the total turnover) (Figure 6).

Among all EU Member States, the percentage of turnover from e-sales ranged from 6.3 % in Bulgaria to 30.5 % in Czechia, followed by Denmark (28.6 %) and Ireland (28.4 %) (see Eurostat data source isoc_ec_evals).

Figure 6 shows the contribution of web sales and EDI-type sales to total turnover. The share of the total turnover generated from EDI-type sales ranged from 2 % in Greece and Bulgaria to 21.6 % in Denmark and 21.3 % in Czechia. The share of total turnover from web sales was highest in Ireland (19.7 %) and Sweden (10.5 %), while it was below 5 % in Italy, Austria, Bulgaria, Slovenia, France and Poland.

Figure 6: Turnover from e-sales broken down by web sales and EDI-type sales, 2022
(% of total turnover)
Source: Eurostat (isoc_ec_evals)

As Figure 7 shows, large enterprises – with 250 or more employees and self-employed persons – rely in principle more on ICT and standards that integrate EDI-type sales within their business processes. In fact, large enterprises reported the highest share of turnover from e-sales (22.9 %), most of it from EDI-type sales (15.2 %).

Figure 7: Turnover from e-sales broken down by web sales and EDI-type sales, by size class, 2022
(% of total turnover)
Source: Eurostat (isoc_ec_evals)

Enterprises in 'Accommodation' recorded in 2022 with 35.5 % the highest share of turnover generated from web sales followed by 'Information and communication' (16.7 %) and 'Retail trade' (11.1 %). The share of turnover realised from EDI-type sales was the highest in 'Manufacturing' (17.2 %) and in 'Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning; water supply' (13.0 %) (Figure 8).

Figure 8: Turnover from e-sales broken down by web sales and EDI-type sales, by economic activity, 2022
(% of total turnover)
Source: Eurostat (isoc_ec_evaln2)

Web sales predominantly carried out via own website or apps

Looking further into web sales, these can be carried out via own websites or apps or via e-commerce marketplaces available on external websites or apps. E-commerce marketplaces, and in general online platforms, may facilitate economic growth by enabling sellers to access new markets and reach new customers at lower cost.

In the survey on 'ICT usage and e-commerce in enterprises', the respondents were asked to indicate if they had web sales of goods or services via the enterprise's own website or apps or via an e-commerce marketplace website or apps. An enterprise may use one or both web sales possibilities.

As Figure 9 shows, in 2022, 84.7 % of EU enterprises with web sales used their own websites or apps, and 42.9 % used an e-commerce marketplace. The highest percentages of enterprises with web sales via their own websites or apps were registered in Estonia (97.3 %), Denmark (95.6 %) and Finland (95.1 %), while the lowest share was registered in Lithuania (42.8 %).

Estonia (16.1 %), Finland (21.4 %) and Denmark (23.0 %) recorded the lowest percentages of enterprises with web sales via marketplaces. On the other hand, using web sales via marketplaces was most common in Lithuania (82.3 %), Poland (59.5 %) and Italy (57.7 %).

Figure 9: Web sales by type of channel, 2022
(% of enterprises with web sales)
Source: Eurostat (isoc_ec_esels)

Turnover from web sales mainly generated by sales via own websites or apps

Moreover, as far as the turnover generated from web sales is concerned, EU enterprises realised 6.7 % of their total turnover from web sales in 2022, where 5.8 % was realised from web sales via own websites or apps and 0.9 % from sales via online marketplaces. The highest percentages of turnover realised through web sales via own website or apps were recorded in Ireland (19.2 %). The turnovers generated via marketplaces were the highest in Lithuania (4.0 %) (Figure 10).

Figure 10: Turnover from web sales by type of channel, 2022
(% of total turnover)
Source: Eurostat (isoc_ec_evals)

Turnover from web sales mainly from other enterprises and public authorities

In 2022, web sales accounted for 6.7 % of the total turnover of the enterprises. Of this, 3.6 % came from web sales to other enterprises and public authorities (B2BG) while 3.1 % came from web sales to private consumers (B2C). The highest percentages of turnover resulting from web sales to other enterprises and public authorities were registered in Ireland (13.1 %), while in France and Poland the share recorded was less than 2 %. The share of web sales to private consumers in the total turnover of the enterprises ranged from 0.7 % in Poland to 6.6 % in Ireland (Figure 11).

Figure 11: Turnover from web sales by type of customer, 2022
(% of total turnover)
Source: Eurostat (isoc_ec_evals)

Source data for tables and graphs

E-commerce statistics - graphs and tables

Data sources

Data presented in this article are based on the results of the 2023 survey on 'ICT usage and e-commerce in enterprises'. Statistics were obtained from enterprise surveys conducted by National Statistical Authorities in the first months of each year. The surveys' reference period is the current situation of the survey period or for questions on e-commerce the preceding calendar year.

In 2023, some 161 000 enterprises, with 10 or more employees or self-employed persons, out of 1.5 million in EU were surveyed. Out of these 1.47 million enterprises, approximately 83 % were small enterprises (with 10-49 employees or self-employed persons), 14 % medium (50-249 employees or self-employed persons) and 3 % large enterprises (250 or more employees or self-employed persons).

The observation statistical unit is the enterprise, as defined in the Regulation (EC) No 696/1993 of 15 March 1993. The survey covered enterprises with at least 10 employees and self-employed persons. Economic activities correspond to the classification NACE Revision 2. The sectors covered are manufacturing, electricity, gas and steam, water supply, construction, wholesale and retail trades, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, transportation and storage, accommodation and food service activities, information and communication, real estate, professional, scientific and technical activities, administrative and support activities and repair of computers and communication equipment.

Source data shown as ':' refer to data that are unavailable, unreliable, confidential or not applicable. Unreliable data are included in the calculation of European aggregates. Data presented in this article may differ from the data in the database on account of updates made after the data extractions used for this article. Data in the database are organised according to the survey year.

Context

A Europe fit for the digital age is a major priority of the European Commission. The EU's digital strategy aims to make this transformation work for people and businesses, while helping to achieve its target of a climate-neutral Europe by 2050. The strategy is built on three pillars: (1) Technology that works for the people; (2) A fair and competitive digital economy; (3) An open, democratic and sustainable society.

New EU rules on e-commerce include actions related to ending unjustified cross-border barriers, facilitating cheaper cross-border parcel deliveries, protection of online customer rights and promoting cross border access to online content. The European Commission breaks down online barriers so that people may enjoy full access to all goods and services offered online by businesses in the EU.