European e-commerce reaches €911 billion as sector calls for fairer competition
Press release - Competitiveness & Single Market - Digital, Technology & Payments
22 September 2026
Today, Ecommerce Europe and EuroCommerce present the 2026 European E-commerce Report. Total B2C European e-commerce turnover continued its steady growth and increased by 7% in 2025, rising from €842 billion to €911 billion. Taking inflation into account, real growth reached 4% for the total European B2C e-commerce turnover.
The market grew in 2025 despite mounting economic and geopolitical uncertainty, regulatory complexity and uneven enforcement of EU policy. The European Commission’s simplification agenda is widely welcomed; it has yet to deliver tangible reductions in administrative burdens. The report therefore underlines the need for consistent enforcement and a level playing field to ensure fair competition between EU and non-EU-based sellers across the Single Market.
Artificial Intelligence continues to gain traction, creating new opportunities for businesses, including SMEs, as well as consumers, while new payment solutions are making checkout faster and easier. The sector continues to embrace the green transition, with businesses investing in sustainable processes and circular models, while consumers purchase more second-hand goods, and out-of-home delivery and parcel tracking becomes more widespread across Europe.
Commenting on the Report, Luca Cassetti, Secretary General of Ecommerce Europe, stated: “European e-commerce continues to grow despite a challenging environment, demonstrating the sector’s resilience and the added value it brings to the Union’s economy and Single Market. But growth alone is not enough. Businesses need a regulatory environment that supports competitiveness, reduces unnecessary administrative burdens and ensures a truly level playing field between EU and non-EU based operators. We therefore call on the EU institutions to turn the simplification agenda into tangible action, including through practical measures such as an effective EPR One-Stop Shop, while ensuring robust enforcement against serious non-compliance.”
Christel Delberghe, Director General of EuroCommerce, commented: “The €911 billion market shows that e-commerce is now integral to European retail and wholesale. Yet growth will translate into investment only if the Single Market works in practice. The EU needs to bring down internal market barriers and step up enforcement of customs, product safety and environmental rules for every seller targeting EU consumers. At the same time, businesses need room to use artificial intelligence and other digital tools responsibly to innovate and stay competitive.”
Ecommerce Europe, EuroCommerce and the Centre for Market Insights will launch the 2026 European E-commerce Report in a webinar on Tuesday, 22 September, from 10:30 CEST. Please register here.
The Centre for Market Insights of the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences conducted the research for this report.
A free abridged (Light) version of the report is available here.
NOTES FOR EDITORS
The European E-commerce Report 2026 provides an analysis of the e-commerce landscape across 38 European countries. This edition updates key metrics on business-to-consumer e-commerce turnover, internet and e-shopper penetration, and the contribution of B2C e-commerce to GDP, with a special focus on the EU-27.
In 2025, while all regions recorded growth, the pace varied. Western Europe, the largest e-commerce region, recorded the lowest nominal B2C e-commerce turnover growth at 5%, accounting for 57% of total European turnover. Northern Europe grew by 6% while Central Europe increased by 8%. Growth was strongest in Southern (11%) and Eastern Europe (14%). For 2026, growth is forecast to slow in several regions, with a nominal European B2C e-commerce turnover expected to increase by 5% to €961 billion.
The share of Europeans aged 16–74 who bought goods or services online rose to 74% in 2025 from 73% in 2024 and 68% in 2021. Northern Europe recorded the highest share of online shoppers, at 85% in 2025, followed by Western Europe at 84%, Central Europe at 74%, Southern Europe at 63% and Eastern Europe at 60%.
This year's report also introduces indicators that compare European B2C e-commerce turnover per person with GDP per person across all 38 countries. New EU-27 data show the share of enterprises with ten or more employees that sell to consumers online and use e-commerce marketplaces, offering a clearer picture of the channels used for online sales in different Member States.
An executive summary of the report is available here.