Southern Europeans Lead Chinese E-Commerce Platform Adoption

Consumers in Southern Europe are leading the way in using Chinese e-commerce platforms, according to research from the European Central Bank. The survey found that a significant majority of euro area consumers had made purchases on these platforms at least once, with 52% reporting such activity.

The region with the highest adoption rate was Greece, where 79% of respondents reported buying from Chinese e-commerce platforms. Portugal and Spain followed closely behind, with 77% and 69% of consumers respectively using these services.

By contrast, adoption rates in France and Germany were significantly lower at 43% and 40% respectively. The ECB attributed the popularity of Chinese platforms to their low prices and extensive product choice.

However, growth in parcel imports from China has slowed, with shipments rising by just 26% in 2025 after doubling the previous year. A €3 charge on parcels below €150 was introduced in July 2026, which may have contributed to this slowdown.