• One in four online shoppers in France have purchased from a UK site in the last three months
• The average French shopper spends €95 (£84) a month on shopping* in total, with €87 (£77) of this spent online
• The average French online shopper is 48 years old, more likely to be female and live in an urban setting
• French shoppers favour more traditional devices when shopping online, although there has been a slight shift to mobile since 2015
• Clothes, books and footwear are the most common products for French shoppers to buy

Purchasing from the UK

One in four online shoppers in France have purchased from a UK site in the last three months, according to a study commissioned by Royal Mail ahead of Bastille Day. Of these shoppers, the average spend on UK websites is €57 (£50) per month.

The study found that fondness of British brands (72%), quality of produce (76%) and unique British character (83%) are all factors that are significantly more likely to drive these shoppers to UK based sites compared to shoppers from other countries. Purchases from the UK also tend to be made when items can be found at a lower cost (69%). With global reach and the leading enabler of ecommerce in the UK, Royal Mail is well placed to observe trends across the industry.

Shopping habits of French consumers

The average shopper in France spends €95 (£84) per month shopping (excluding groceries), with €87 (£77) of this spent online. This is 92% of total spend, up from 87% in 2015. The average French online shopper is 48 years old, more likely to be female and live in an urban setting.

Shoppers in France favour more traditional devices when shopping online. They are significantly more likely than shoppers in the UK to use either a laptop or desktop. There has been some shift to smartphones since 2015, with usage increasing from 14% in 2015 to 25% in 2018. Almost nine in ten (89%) use a laptop or desktop to shop online, compared to the UK average of 73%. A third (33%) uses a smartphone or tablet, compared to the UK average of 53%.

When it comes to products, the top three most popular categories for French shoppers are: clothes (37%), books (24%) and footwear (23%). They are also significantly more likely to purchase accessories and DIY equipment.

Although French shoppers’ home address remains the most popular location to receive deliveries, a greater proportion are likely to want deliveries made to convenience stores (17%) than the average international shopper (5%). Just over one in three French shoppers (34%) typically have their parcels delivered to a parcel shop.

A spokesperson for Royal Mail said“It’s important for retailers to understand the distinct shopping habits of consumers in different countries. Although French shoppers are less likely to shop on mobile than the UK average, there has been some shift to mobile since 2015. The French ecommerce market does lag behind other markets but online spend as a proportion of total non-grocery spend is above the international average and retailers should be prepared for this to increase.”

Source: Royal Mail