Survey Finds Half of the Shopping Done Online in the UK

• Brits spent nearly five hours on average each week browsing products online
• Nearly a third (31.74%) stated that a summer of sports had influenced their fashion choices
• Groceries and beverages overtake clothing as no.1 spot on the category list, with most Brits purchasing celebratory items to enjoy whilst watching sporting events

LONDON, July 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — AliExpress, an international online retail marketplace under Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group, today launched its latest Consumer Insights Report^[1] of 2024 highlighting a change in the online retail trends.

This report, which surveyed consumers in the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain, aims to uncover key trends and insights into European online shopping behaviours and shopping patterns.

Sport has taken over the summer

It’s clear that the 2024 summer of sports had an impact on British culture – from shopping habits to social connections. It also emphasized wellbeing and the importance of looking after oneself.

Nearly 40% of Brits said that online shopping had made sports more accessible this year, and nearly a third (31.74%) stated that a summer of sports had influenced their fashion choices. From purchasing English-branded memorabilia, to the rise in summer attire as consumers headed outdoors to watch their favourite sports matches, it has been clear sports have had an impact on fashion this year.

Not only that, but the research also revealed that 3 out of 4 (74.95%) Brits agreed that taking part in sports improves their mental wellbeing, and over 65% of Brits agreed that engaging in sports allowed them to connect with people from different cultures and backgrounds. 65% of Brits also agreed that taking part in sports gives them a sense of community, while over 45% said they feel more connected to their country when a global sporting tournament is happening.

Online shopping grows more popular

British consumers have continued to spend significant figures making purchases online, averaging over £600 in a three-month period. On average, Brits spent nearly 5 hours a week browsing and researching products online. Among age groups, 25-34-year-olds spent the most time browsing and researching products online, reaching 5.61 hours each week.

Millennials led in online shopping: among 35-44-year-olds, 56.22% of shopping was done online. This was closely followed by Gen Z (18-24 years old) with 56.13% shopping online. In fact, among all age groups surveyed, those over 55 years old were the only age group that stated they were shopping more offline versus online. The survey showed a 2.7% increase in online shopping and a 0.6-hour rise in weekly shopping browsing when compared to results from the same survey conducted three months before.

Regionally, Greater London came out as the top-spending region across all spending categories, only surpassed by the East of England when it came to Groceries and Beverages. On average, Brits purchased 10 products online in a three-month period.

The top five categories that saw the most spending via online shopping in a three-month period were:

1. Grocery and beverages (£254.37)
2. Clothes and shoes (£90.50)
3. Home appliances and consumer electronics (£76.66)
4. Phones and telecom (£73.39)
5. Sports and entertainment (£60.25)

On average Brits purchased 10 products (10 for women, 8 for men) online over the three-month period.

Marketplaces continue to rise

Marketplaces such as AliExpress offer convenience, competitive pricing, great choices, fast home deliveries and the ability to easily search for millions of products across multiple categories.

This has led to the growing popularity of online marketplaces among the Brits. Over half (51.41%) of Brits admitted to shopping from online marketplaces.

As an official global sponsor of UEFA EURO 2024, AliExpress launched the ‘Score More with AliExpress’ campaign featuring David Beckham, hosted the ‘Shake & Win’ competition throughout the tournament, and had English football legend Rio Ferdinand leading a livestream. AliExpress will continue to engage with consumers with various activities as the Worldwide Olympic TOP Partner of the Olympic Games for e-commerce platform services.

Bonnie Zhao, AliExpress UK General Manager, said: “Sporting events remain a popular medium for communities to come together, and we want to support that in every way we can. Through our partnership with UEFA EURO2024^TM this year, we wanted to make something which might seem far away to many consumers, more accessible. By observing shopping habits, we aim to influence the ways people shop and make it smarter and more affordable. It’s about quality items being offered at competitive prices; whilst ensuring that consumers feel they can trust the platforms they are shopping on.”

About the AliExpress Consumer Insights Report

The research was conducted by Censuswide among a sample of 9,524 respondents, including 2,007 from the UK, aged over 18 across France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK. The data was collected between 28 June 2024 and 3 July 2024. The respondents were asked about their spending and shopping habits online for the previous three months (March, April and May).

Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society and follows the MRS code of conduct and ESOMAR principles. Censuswide is also a member of the British Polling Council.

About AliExpress

Launched in 2010, AliExpress is a business-to-consumer (B2C) e-commerce platform enabling global consumers to buy directly from manufacturers in China and around the world. In addition to the global English-language version, the AliExpress platform is also available in 15 other languages. AliExpress is part of Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group.

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