AliExpress have launched their latest Consumer Insights Report of 2024 highlighting a change in the online retail trends revealing that sport has had a massive influence.

This report, which surveyed consumers in the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain, aims to uncover key trends and insights into European online shopping behaviours and shopping patterns. 

Sport has taken over the summer 

It’s clear that the 2024 summer of sports had an impact on British culture – from shopping habits to social connections. It also emphasized wellbeing and the importance of looking after oneself.  

Nearly 40% of Brits said that online shopping had made sports more accessible this year, and nearly a third (31.74%) stated that a summer of sports had influenced their fashion choices. From purchasing English-branded memorabilia, to the rise in summer attire as consumers headed outdoors to watch their favourite sports matches, it has been clear sports have had an impact on fashion this year. 

Not only that, but the research also revealed that 3 out of 4 (74.95%) Brits agreed that taking part in sports improves their mental wellbeing, and over 65% of Brits agreed that engaging in sports allowed them to connect with people from different cultures and backgrounds. 65% of Brits also agreed that taking part in sports gives them a sense of community, while over 45% said they feel more connected to their country when a global sporting tournament is happening.  

Online shopping grows more popular 

British consumers have continued to spend significant figures making purchases online, averaging over £600 in a three-month period. On average, Brits spent nearly 5 hours a week browsing and researching products online. Among age groups, 25-34-year-olds spent the most time browsing and researching products online, reaching 5.61 hours each week.  

Millennials led in online shopping: among 35-44-year-olds, 56.22% of shopping was done online. This was closely followed by Gen Z (18-24 years old) with 56.13% shopping online. In fact, among all age groups surveyed, those over 55 years old were the only age group that stated they were shopping more offline versus online. The survey showed a 2.7% increase in online shopping and a 0.6-hour rise in weekly shopping browsing when compared to results from the same survey conducted three months before.  

Regionally, Greater London came out as the top-spending region across all spending categories, only surpassed by the East of England when it came to Groceries and Beverages. On average, Brits purchased 10 products online in a three-month period.  

The top five categories that saw the most spending via online shopping in a three-month period were: 

1. Grocery and beverages (£254.37) 
2. Clothes and shoes (£90.50) 
3. Home appliances and consumer electronics (£76.66) 
4. Phones and telecom (£73.39) 
5. Sports and entertainment (£60.25)  

On average Brits purchased 10 products (10 for women, 8 for men) online over the three-month period. 

Marketplaces continue to rise 

Marketplaces such as AliExpress offer convenience, competitive pricing, great choices, fast home deliveries and the ability to easily search for millions of products across multiple categories. 

This has led to the growing popularity of online marketplaces among the Brits. Over half (51.41%) of Brits admitted to shopping from online marketplaces.  

As an official global sponsor of UEFA EURO 2024, AliExpress launched the ‘Score More with AliExpress’ campaign featuring David Beckham, hosted the ‘Shake & Win’ competition throughout the tournament, and had English football legend Rio Ferdinand leading a livestream. AliExpress will continue to engage with consumers with various activities as the Worldwide Olympic TOP Partner of the Olympic Games for e-commerce platform services.  

Sporting events remain a popular medium for communities to come together, and we want to support that in every way we can. Through our partnership with UEFA EURO2024^TM this year, we wanted to make something which might seem far away to many consumers, more accessible. By observing shopping habits, we aim to influence the ways people shop and make it smarter and more affordable. It’s about quality items being offered at competitive prices; whilst ensuring that consumers feel they can trust the platforms they are shopping on.’

– Bonnie Zhao, UK General Manager, AliExpress