Almost 80% of internet users shopped online this year, CSO finds

Almost 80 per cent of internet users now buy goods or services online, a move driven by the restrictions imposed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

On Friday, the CSO published the Household Digital Consumer Behaviour 2021 report, which examined internet practices during the first six months of the year, and found Irish people’s lives “have become a lot more virtual” due to the pandemic.

According to the report, 79 per cent of internet users purchased goods or services online this year, with more women (83 per cent) engaging in online shopping than men (75 per cent).

Younger age groups were also more inclined to shop online, with 90 per cent of internet users aged 16-44 using this feature.

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The most popular online purchases were clothes, shoes or accessories, including bags and jewellery, with 80 per cent of online users buying these items.

Gyms, swimming pools and leisure centres did not reopen until mid-2021, while sports fixtures and training sessions were cancelled, to varying degrees, during lockdown periods.

In light of this, 30 per cent of online users bought sports goods, which includes sports gear and equipment, but not sport clothing.

The varying restrictions on the hospitality sector throughout the year, also saw a change in the way internet users engaged with their services.

Half of internet users made online purchases of ready-made food delivered from restaurants, fast-food chains or catering delivery services, while 16 per cent bought food or beverages from stores or meal-kit and food box providers.

Maureen Delamere, a statistician with the CSO, said life in Ireland "has changed quite substantially as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic".

“The introduction of restrictions on movement has seen the number of hours people spend on the internet for work or personal reasons increase,” she said.

“In 2021, we were online more than ever, working from home, relying on technology and digital services.”

Eight in 10 internet users used internet telephoning or video calls such as Microsoft Teams, Skype, and Zoom throughout the year, the CSO found.

Email was the most popular activity carried out on the internet, with 93 per cent of internet users surveyed in 2021 using email.

People also chose to use online communication channels, and in 2021, seven in 10 internet users used social network sites, such as Facebook or Instagram.

Given the amount of time people spent at home this year, many also chose to upskill using online resources.

More than three in 10 (31 per cent) reported doing an online course, compared with just 13 per cent in 2019, the last pre-pandemic year.

However, some used online learning material and resources to aid their learning, such as audio-visual materials, online learning software or electronic textbooks, rather than a complete online course.

In 2021, 36 per cent of internet users reported using such online learning resources, compared with just one in five (21 per cent) in 2019.