Forecast Report

2021 Online Retail Forecast, Western Europe

COVID-19 Is Accelerating Online Penetration Across Many Categories

June 15th, 2021
Michael O'Grady, Principal Forecast Analyst
Michael O'Grady Principal Forecast Analyst
With contributors:
Fiona Swerdlow , Michelle Beeson

Summary

Western European e-commerce saw record 31% growth in 2020 as the pandemic forced nonessential retail stores to periodically close. The most developed markets saw the fastest growth, as did food and drink, alcohol, video games, and DIY. The number of online buyers increased significantly. The growth of e-commerce will force retailers to optimize their store networks and use online marketplaces to drive sales. However, the store is still important: By 2025, stores will still drive three-quarters of total retail sales in the region. This online retail forecast details online and offline growth for 22 product categories across 17 countries in Western Europe, with historical online category sales going back to 2002.

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