European shoppers continued to migrate from in-store purchasing to e-commerce in 2025, led by Gen Z consumers’ hot preferences for trends such as social media purchasing and secondhand picking on customer-to-customer (C2C) platforms, according to a study by Geopost.
While Generation Z consumers — those born between the late 1990s and early 2010s — were once viewed merely as potential future e-shoppers, today they are a central force shaping the e-commerce market, making more than 60 purchases a year online. By comparison, Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996) made 56 online purchases in 2025, while Generation X (born between the mid-1960s and early 1980s) made 42 purchases.
The company’s survey included data from 30,700 interviews conducted in 22 European countries. Geopost, part of the La Poste Group, delivered 2.1 billion parcels worldwide in 2024 and generated revenues of €15.8 billion. The company operates in more than 50 countries across all continents through its network of delivery brands, including: DPD, Chronopost, SEUR, BRT, Speedy, Jadlog and Asendia. Geopost also supports delivery through its growing out-of-home service which leverages a parcel store and locker network extending across Europe.
Geopost’s ‘Online Shopper Barometer’ clearly demonstrated the growing power of Gen Z e-shoppers, who overwhelmingly turn to social media for shopping inspiration (96%) and then purchase directly through these platforms (61%), thus redefining the entire e-commerce landscape. Likewise, while C2C shopping was only a growing trend in recent years, it has now become a mainstream shopping behavior, with 72% of regular e-shoppers using C2C platforms, purchasing an average of 13.4 times per year (up 1.3 points vs. 2023). The main factor driving this growth is affordability, but motivations vary: 39% highlighted sustainability (+5 points), and others said they value supporting individuals and small retailers.
But retailers still have room for improvement, with 19% of online shoppers reporting difficulties accessing customer service when they need help (+4 points vs. 2023), while 18% reported that there were too many steps between confirming their cart and completing the purchase itself (+5 points vs. 2023). Returns are also on the rise, but the ease of the process has declined slightly (-2 points) due to growing frustration with the multiple steps involved in returns and the need to print labels.
“By collecting data outside of peak periods such as Black Friday, we can clearly see how online shopping has become an integral part of everyday European consumption habits. Today, nearly 8 in 10 Europeans shop online, with more than half identifying as regular e-shoppers. E-shoppers’ growing preference for parcel lockers, the growing influence of Generation Z, and the establishment of C2C shopping all highlight consumers’ increasing focus on convenience,” said Carmen Corio, director of market research at Geopost. Affordability and sustainability.”
