Xin Ou
Research expert covering Greater China
E-commerce in Portugal - statistics & facts
Overshadowed by neighboring heavyweights Spain, France, and the UK, the e-commerce industry in Portugal is often overlooked. Besides golden beaches and extensive vineyards, the country is home to a little over three million digital buyers who are responsible for more than 5.4 billion U.S. dollars in retail e-commerce revenue, according to 2024 estimates. The advertising revenue generated by digital retail media in the country in 2023 was among the lowest in Europe, unable to rival its closest counterparts. Yet, the Portuguese e-commerce market is set to grow steadily in the next few years.
More online shoppers than ever, but still some deterrents to e-commerce in Portugal
Almost four of every ten inhabitants in Portugal were estimated to make online purchases in 2025. The COVID-19 pandemic played a big role in luring Portuguese consumers to buying on the internet. In 2020, for the first time in history, the share of e-commerce users who bought something online in the previous three months exceeded 35 percent. However, these rates are usually lower than the European average. In Portugal, users still rely on the physical shopping experience to define their purchases. According to a recent survey, 30 percent of Portuguese consumers wanted to see an item before buying it, and 18 percent wanted to physically hold it on the day of its purchase.Selling online is an activity for both individuals and enterprises in Portugal
In 2024, the share of individuals who used the internet in the previous three months to sell goods or services was the highest ever, at almost 15 percent. Not only are individuals making more and more use of online sales platforms as the share of revenue generated by e-commerce in enterprises is generally increasing. The year 2020 recorded the highest figure, at almost 20 percent of the total revenue of enterprises, but, after a decrease, 2024 values were very close to emulating the peak year.Main e-commerce players in Portugal
Spanish companies such as El Corte Inglés and Zara, but also global giants Amazon and Apple, were among the leading online stores in Portugal in 2024 based on net e-commerce sales. When it came to e-retailers headquartered in the Iberian country, Worten - Equipamentos para o Lar S.A. was a clear leader in the same year, most notably in the electronics and media segment.E-commerce is slowly setting its mark in Portugal
Online purchases do not yet dominate the retail habits of the Portuguese, but e-commerce is slowly establishing itself in the country. The ease of purchase in online shopping was the main reason prompting almost 74 percent of e-commerce Portuguese buyers in 2024 to opt for this shopping method. This, allied to the habit of researching products online before their offline purchase, points to a gradual fondness of digital retail.
