Online shopping behavior in the United Kingdom (UK) - statistics & facts

In the United Kingdom (UK), over 80 percent of the population makes e-commerce purchases, or to put it in other words, over four in five UK consumers are digital buyers. Over the last couple of decades, online shopping has become ubiquitous, not just in the UK, but worldwide; moreover, the numbers are still growing. By 2027, for example, the penetration rate among the country's consumers is expected to reach over 86 percent.

What are some of the habits of digital shoppers in the UK?

When asked what types of products consumers in the UK had bought online in the past year, apparel was by far the most common answer: roughly six in ten British digital shoppers had purchased at least one item of clothing in the past 12 months. While clothes and footwear were the most popular categories, shoppers liked buying several kinds of products, including electronics, food and drinks, cosmetics, furniture, and more. Before buying anything, however, more than half of UK consumers would do some research on the internet first. Many also found reading customer reviews very helpful. In fact, over 90 percent of consumers in the UK stated that they typically avoided buying from a business below a 4-star rating, making it vital for e-retailers to provide quality products and customer-friendly service.

Delivery and returns need to be free, speedy, and convenient

Delivery in e-commerce is a top priority for consumers. In fact, a lack of delivery options ranks as the number one cart abandonment reason for consumer globally. In the United Kingdom, a staggering 41 percent of online shopping carts are abandoned because the consumer’s favorite delivery provider is unavailable. Consumers have relatively conservative preferences when it comes to how they want their packages to be delivered, with the majority of consumers preferring postal vehicle delivery over drone and robot delivery. When it comes to returns, UK consumers are divided on who should bear the cost of product returns. A small majority of surveyed Brits feel that consumers should pay for product returns themselves.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by Koen van Gelder, Nov 14, 2023

Key insights

B2C e-commerce users in Europe
523m
Share of UK consumers who used an online price comparison service weekly
22.1%
Share of textile, clothing and footwear store sales made online in Great Britain
26.5%
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