| NOTAS: | light version of the report
"In 2022, the European B2C e-commerce turnover increased from €849 billion in 2021 to €899 billion in 2022, despite a shifting economic and political environment. Although the growth rate for 2022, reaching 6%, compares lower than in 2021 (12%), the sector continues to move forward and is expected to continue growing in 2023. Throughout 2022, Europe was heavily affected by the impact of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, not least the high inflation rates putting downward pressure on consumers’ purchasing power. The report highlights that higher prices were the main driver in the increase in e-commerce turnover in several European countries. However, the lower volumes were partly compensated by a surge in online service purchases (e.g., travel). At the same time, European decision-makers stand a chance to adapt the regulatory landscape to the challenges and opportunities posed by the digital and green transitions. To illustrate the significant impact of inflation on the sector, this year’s report added inflation-adjusted growth numbers for Europe and all its regions. In 2021, European inflation-adjusted e-commerce growth was still very strong (+9%), but it plunged in 2022 due to the inflation shock, shrinking for the first time ever (-2%). The only regions without e-commerce decline in 2022 were Eastern Europe (+5%) and Southern Europe (+13%). In 2023, e-commerce started recovering as inflation declined, leading us to project a return to growth in 2023 (+2%). The report also identifies technological progress (e.g., 5G, AR/VR, digital wallet) and new shop solutions (e.g., SaaS) as drivers of deeper e-commerce penetration and, thus, as an opportunity to smoothen regional divides. Another aspect raised by the report is the growing demand for more sustainable e-commerce, which is expected to build on more efficient deliveries and returns, as well as greener consumption and production patterns. Overall, the report’s key findings suggest that the sector is developing the needed resilience to overcome the multifaceted challenges of our times." |
