More than half of eurozone consumers have made purchases through Chinese e-commerce platforms, according to the European Central Bank’s Consumer Expectations Survey (CES), which forms the basis of an article titled “What drives euro area consumers to Chinese e-commerce platforms.”
Temu, Shein and AliExpress have established their position in eurozone markets, attracting millions of consumers, mainly thanks to the low prices and wide range of products they offer.
Usage varies significantly between member states. Greece, Portugal and Spain recorded the highest rates, with more than 70 percent of consumers saying they have shopped on these platforms. In Germany and France, usage rates remain below 50 percent.
Cyprus is not included in the ECB survey data, but these platforms have gained particular traction in the Cypriot market too, with a growing number of consumers choosing them for clothing, household items, electronics and other low-cost products.
The survey also finds them especially popular among low and middle-income households, attributing this to the ability to save money through highly competitive prices. However, a significant share of higher-income consumers also shop there.
The European Commission, meanwhile, points to a rapid rise in low-value imports from China. In 2024, around 90 percent of e-commerce parcels worth up to 150 euros entering the European Union came from China. Their total volume more than doubled within a year, from 1.9 billion items in 2023 to 4.17 billion in 2024, a development attributed to the platforms’ dramatic growth in customer numbers.
The reasons driving consumers there are clear from the survey’s findings. Participants cite low prices as the main motivator, with words like “cheap,” “price” and “cheaper” dominating their answers. Despite the gradual easing of inflation in the eurozone, consumers continue to seek cheaper options to limit household spending.
A second major factor is product variety. Consumers value the wide range on offer, the results show, including specialised items, accessories and goods that can be difficult to find in local shops.
Low prices combined with an extensive product selection appear to be the main competitive advantage. Eurozone consumers also turn more often to these sites for clothing, household items and electronics, sectors where buyers tend to be particularly price-sensitive, the survey found.
The vast majority of orders are low in value: nearly two-thirds are worth no more than 25 euros, and 90 percent are worth up to 50 euros. One in five respondents said they shop this way at least once a month, results the survey says underline purchasing behaviour driven by price.
Almost half of respondents, meanwhile, said they do not use Chinese platforms at all. Non-users cited concerns about low product quality, trust, reliability, payment security and environmental impact as reasons for staying away.
The special tax
That growth in low-cost imports has prompted a regulatory response. The EU has imposed, from July 1, a special customs duty of three euros for every item Europeans order from third-country platform companies, in a bid to limit such orders. The new duty is charged per item for small parcels worth up to 150 euros imported from third countries, with the stated aim of addressing unfair competition and strengthening safety checks on e-commerce products. If an order includes different product categories, each category is charged separately.
The measure will remain in force until 2028, when a full revision of the European customs system is expected. It mainly affects purchases from popular Asian platforms like Shein, Temu and AliExpress, but may also affect orders from other third countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom. This depends on the supplier.