The state of e-commerce in the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, and Belgium in 2025: the latest figures

E-commerce continues to grow at a steady pace across the world’s major economies, driven by shifting consumer behaviors, digital transformation, and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and social commerce.

In the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Belgium, trends vary based on local economic dynamics, consumer preferences, and regulatory changes. This article provides an in-depth analysis of the e-commerce landscape in these five countries, backed by the latest data and key market insights.

The e-commerce market in the United States: a global leader in expansion

The United States remains the global leader in e-commerce. In 2025, online retail sales reached $1,233.7 billion, representing a growth of +5.4% compared to 2024. E-commerce now accounts for 16.4% of total retail sales, highlighting the continued expansion of digital commerce in the world’s largest consumer market.

The country counts an estimated 250 to 270 million online shoppers, with an average annual online spend of roughly $4,000 to $4,500 per consumer. This scale reflects the maturity and purchasing power of the U.S. digital economy.

Large platforms such as Amazon, Walmart and Target dominate the ecosystem, while retail media and data-driven advertising have become key drivers of profitability for major e-commerce players.

At the same time, the market continues to evolve rapidly through AI-powered shopping experiences, social commerce, faster logistics and marketplace expansion, making it one of the most innovative digital retail environments globally.

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The e-commerce market in the United Kingdom: A digitalized and mature landscape

The United Kingdom remains one of the most advanced e-commerce markets in the world and the largest in Europe. In 2025, online retail sales are estimated at around £125–130 billion, reflecting a market that continues to grow but at a moderate pace typical of mature economies. E-commerce now represents more than 25% of total retail sales, making the UK one of the most digitally integrated retail environments globally.

British consumers are highly digitalized, with over 50 million online shoppers and a yearly online spend estimated at around £1,050–£1,100 per shopper. Mobile commerce plays a central role in this ecosystem, and omnichannel practices such as click-and-collect, showrooming and rapid delivery have become standard expectations.

Payment innovation is also widespread. Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) solutions are widely used, reflecting consumer demand for flexible payment options. At the same time, the growth of social commerce and retail media is reshaping customer acquisition strategies, particularly through platforms like TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.

From a regulatory perspective, the UK operates under its own framework following Brexit. Online retailers must comply with national regulations such as the Consumer Rights Act and UK GDPR, which differ from EU rules and require specific compliance for companies operating across markets.

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E-commerce in Germany: growth driven by technology and sustainability

Germany remains Europe’s largest e-commerce market, with online retail sales expected to reach approximately €92.4 billion in 2025, representing a growth of around +4% compared to 2024. Online commerce now accounts for roughly 13–14% of total retail sales, reflecting a steady but moderate expansion within a mature market.

The country has an estimated 45 to 50 million online shoppers, with an average annual online spend of around €2,000 per consumer. Shopping frequency is also high, with consumers placing roughly 35 online orders per year and an average basket size close to €52 per transaction.

Germany’s e-commerce ecosystem is strongly influenced by consumer expectations around security and reliability. Payment preferences differ from other European markets, with PayPal, invoice payments and SEPA transfers widely used. At the same time, sustainability plays an important role in purchasing decisions, accelerating the growth of circular commerce, refurbished products and eco-friendly logistics.

Despite steady growth, retailers face structural challenges including high logistics costs, strong price transparency and increasing competition from international marketplaces.

E-commerce in Belgium: a rapidly expanding digital market

Belgium’s e-commerce market continues to expand steadily and is expected to reach approximately €22–24 billion in 2025, with annual growth estimated between +5% and +6%. The market includes roughly 8 to 9 million online shoppers, with an average yearly online spend of around €2,600 per consumer.

Mobile commerce is increasingly dominant, representing more than 58% of online purchases, while omnichannel behavior remains strong as consumers frequently combine online research with in-store purchases or click-and-collect options.

Belgian consumers are particularly price-sensitive, actively comparing offers across platforms. This dynamic has accelerated the adoption of marketplaces and cross-border platforms while pushing local retailers to compete on service quality, delivery options and customer experience.

Payment habits remain distinctive compared to other European markets. Bancontact remains the dominant payment method, followed by credit cards and PayPal, reflecting the strong role of local payment infrastructure in the Belgian digital ecosystem.

The e-commerce market in France: a dynamic and evolving landscape

French e-commerce continues to grow and confirms its central role in the digital economy. In 2025, online sales reached €196.4 billion, representing +7% growth compared with 2024. Digital commerce now accounts for around 12% of total retail sales in France, reflecting strong and lasting consumer adoption.

However, the market is entering a phase of maturity. While the number of transactions continues to increase, the average basket size is declining, driven by stronger price sensitivity and more intense competition between platforms. Services are now leading growth, reaching €120.3 billion in revenue (+9%), particularly in sectors such as travel, transportation and leisure. Product e-commerce, meanwhile, amounts to €76.1 billion (+4%), in a context marked by pricing pressure and the rapid expansion of second-hand marketplaces.

The competitive landscape is largely dominated by major marketplaces, with Amazon remaining the central player. At the same time, platforms such as Vinted, Leboncoin and Back Market are accelerating the growth of the second-hand economy. Meanwhile, low-cost international players like Temu, Shein and AliExpress are increasing competitive pressure on European e-commerce businesses.

In this environment, purchasing behaviors are evolving rapidly. Consumers are buying online more frequently but are increasingly optimizing their spending, comparing prices across marketplaces, second-hand platforms and traditional retailers. Omnichannel has also become the norm: purchasing journeys now combine online research, in-store purchases, click & collect and rapid delivery. For brands and retailers, the challenge is no longer simply to generate traffic, but to create value through customer experience, data and loyalty.

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The link between e-commerce and gift cards: a virtuous cycle

The growth of e-commerce is accompanied by another major evolution: the rising importance of gift cards within online purchasing journeys.

In France, the gift card market is expected to reach around €8.6 billion in 2025, confirming its growing role within the digital commerce ecosystem.

Long considered simply a gifting product, the gift card is now emerging as a true online payment instrument. It has become the third most widely used payment method among French online shoppers, behind bank cards and digital wallets.

For e-commerce players, gift cards offer several advantages: capturing value upstream, simplifying payment and generating higher baskets at the moment of redemption through additional payments.

In an environment where conversion, loyalty and retention are becoming critical challenges, gift cards are increasingly establishing themselves as a strategic lever to strengthen brands’ e-commerce ecosystems.

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Common trends across e-commerce markets

While the e-commerce markets in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Belgium exhibit distinct dynamics, they also share several key trends:

• Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the shopping experience through personalization, automation, and enhanced customer service.
• Social commerce is becoming an essential sales channel, with increasing adoption of shopping via Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
• "Buy Now, Pay Later" (BNPL) is gaining momentum as an alternative to traditional payments, especially among younger generations.
• Consumer expectations for speed and sustainability are driving purchasing decisions, putting increased pressure on logistics and delivery services.
• Omnichannel retail is now the standard, requiring brands to seamlessly connect online and offline experiences to align with evolving consumer habits.
• Gift cards are continuing their digital transformation, integrating more deeply into customer acquisition and loyalty strategies.
• The B2B gift card market is growing twice as fast as the B2C market across all countries.