The data for this survey was collected during the first half of 2022 with varying degrees of COVID-19 restrictions in place which would have, to some extent, impacted on the use of ICT during this period.
Over eight in ten (81%) internet users purchased goods and/or services online in 2022, an increase of two percentage points on the same period in 2021. The number of females purchasing online (in the previous three months) decreased marginally on the same period in 2021 – 82% compared with 83% in 2021. However, the number of males purchasing online in 2022 has increased by five percentage points – eight in ten (80%) of males purchased goods or services online (in the three months prior to interview) in 2022, compared with 75% of male internet users in 2021.
Only 7% of persons (who use the internet) never bought or ordered goods and/or services over the internet. See Table 3.1.
Persons whose principal economic status was At work, were most likely to purchase goods or services online – 86% of these persons compared with 58% of Students and 54% of Retired persons (who had used the internet in the previous three months). See Table 3.1.
Analysis of the survey data by region shows that Dubliners are most likely to shop online (87%), followed by persons living in the South-East (84%). Internet users living in the Midland region were the least likely (70% of internet users from this region) to shop online. See Map 3.1 and Table 3.1.
The survey data also shows that the prevalence of online shopping increases as the affluence of the geographical area where the person resides increases. Nearly nine in ten (86%) internet users living in very affluent areas shopped online in the previous three months, while over four in five (83%) internet users living in affluent areas shopped online. This compares with 74% of internet users residing in disadvantaged areas and 78% of internet users living in very disadvantaged areas. See Table 3.1.
The purchase of clothes online (includes sports clothing), shoes or accessories (includes bags, jewellery, etc.), remains the most popular online purchase in 2022, but it has decreased by nine percentage points on the same period in 2021 (80%). Similarly, online purchases of sport goods (includes sports gear and equipment but excludes sports clothing) decreased form 30% of internet users in 2021 to 20% in 2022. Females were far more likely to buy clothes, shoes or accessories online – 83% of female internet users compared with 59% of males. Conversely, over one in five males (21%) bought sports goods online, compared with 18% of females. See Figure 3.1 and Table 3.2.
In 2022, the online purchase of ready-made food delivered (from restaurants, fast food chains or catering delivery services), continued to rise – nearly six in ten (58%) of internet users made online purchases (in the three months prior to interview) of ready-made food delivered (from restaurants, fast food chains or catering delivery services), compared with 50% in the same period in 2021. See Table 3.2.
Over one quarter (26%) of internet users bought computer tablets, mobile phones or accessories online in 2022 (27% in 2021), while one quarter (25%) purchased consumer electronics (TV sets, stereos, cameras, etc.) or household appliances (washing machines, etc.), an increase of four percentage points on the same period in 2021. See Table 3.2.
The online purchase of medicine or dietary supplements was reported by nearly one in five (19%) of internet users in 2021, having increased from 9% of internet users in 2020. In 2022, one-in- seven (14%) internet users had bought medicine or dietary supplements (such as vitamins but excludes medical prescriptions) online in the previous three months. See Figure 3.2 and Table 3.3.
Respondents were asked from whom they bought online purchased physical goods in the previous three months. Although online purchasing from national sellers has decreased on 2021 levels, it still by far the most common, with nearly four in five (76%) persons buying or ordering their goods from national sellers, a decrease of seven percentage points on the same period in 2021. By comparison, over three in five (61%) persons who purchased online bought goods from sellers from other EU countries, while almost four in ten (39%) reported purchasing from sellers from the rest of the world. See Figure 3.3 and Table 3.4.
Females were more likely than males to purchase from national sellers online – 80% of females compared with 72% of males. Males were more likely to buy goods online from sellers from other EU countries. Nearly two thirds (65%) of male internet users purchased goods online from sellers from other EU countries, compared with 57% of females. Marginally more females (39%) than males (38%) bought goods online from sellers from the rest of the world. See Table 3.4.
Digital content, such as films, series, box sets, music, e-books, etc. are available through streaming, downloads, or cloud computing platforms. Over four in ten (41%) of internet users subscribed to a music streaming service or downloads in 2022, compared with 38% in the same period in 2021. Males were more likely than females to buy or subscribe to such apps or music streaming services, with 44% of males subscribing to music streaming series or download compared with 39% of females. Using films or series as a streaming service such as Netflix, Disney, Disney+ or downloads was reported by 43% of internet users, compared with 50% in 2020. See Figure 3.5 and Table 3.5.
There was a sharp decrease in subscriptions to health and fitness apps in 2022 with one in ten (10%) subscribing to such apps compared with one in six (17%) in the same period in 2021, while one in seven (14%) bought other apps online (including apps related to learning languages, travelling, weather, etc). More than one in eight (13%) females bought or subscribed to apps related to health and fitness, compared with one in twelve (8%) of males. See Figure 3.5 and Table 3.5.
In 2022, half (50%) of internet said that they had purchased tickets to cultural or other events online (includes online events), compared with just one in eight (12%) in the same period in 2021. Similarly, nearly one in four (23%) bought tickets to sports events online, compared to just 2% in the same period in 2021. See Figure 3.5 and Table 3.6.
Three in ten (30%) internet users surveyed during this period, purchased subscriptions to internet or mobile phone connections. See Table 3.6.
In 2022, almost one third (32%) bought or renewed existing insurance policies online in the previous three months, either directly from insurers or via other financial services providers such as insurance intermediaries). Examples of insurance covered include motor, house, medical, dental, pet, travel insurance policies, etc. Also Insurances offered via another service or provider such as a bank, travel insurance offered together with a plane ticket, , phone insurance for breakage/loss/theft, insurance for a purchased household equipment , means of payment insurance when for example arranging finance for the purchase of a car, household furniture or equipment , etc. Also this category includes not only situations whereby the respondent is the policyholder, but also schemes whereby the respondent just adheres to a group insurance contract online. See Table 3.7.
In 2022, males were more likely to carry out this activity online – 35% of males compared with 28% of females. See Figure 3.6 and Table 3.7.
Just 7% of persons bought or sold shares, bonds, funds or other financial assets (such as crypto currencies) online, up marginally on 2021 (6%). Males were far more likely to carry out this activity online – one in ten (10%) males bought or sold shares/bonds online compared with only 4% of females. Similarly, males were more likely to take out a loan or mortgage online or arranged credit from banks or other financial providers online – 7% of males compared with just 6% of females. At an overall level, just 7% of internet users carried out this activity online. See Table 3.7.
