This chapter looks at the use of the internet for purchases. A range of different purchases were made, with the internet being used for everything from financial transactions to online shopping (food, clothes, etc.). There are some differences between men and women in what they use the internet for, with different experiences by age group and type of household also.
Note: The data presented in this release relates to individuals aged 16 years and over who used the internet in the three months prior to completing the survey.
At an overall level, shopping online remained unchanged, with 85% of internet users purchasing goods and/or services online in 2025. Almost nine in ten (86%) females had made an online purchase in the previous three months compared with 84% of males.
Analysis by sex/age group shows that people aged 30 to 44 years shopped most online with 97% of females and 92% of males in this age cohort having bought goods and/or services online in the three months prior to completing the survey.
In 2025, the top online purchase remains clothes (includes sports clothing), shoes, or accessories (includes bags, jewellery, etc.) at 70%, although down seven percentage points when compared with 2024 (77%).
Younger females aged 16 to 29 years were most likely to buy clothes, shoes or accessories online at 91%, compared with just one-third (33%) of males of similar age.
At an overall level, 27% of males bought sports goods online compared with just over one in five (21%) females.
Analysis by sex/age group shows that more than one-third (35%) of females aged 30 to 59 years bought medicines/dietary supplements online in 2025. Over six in ten (61%) females aged 30 to 44 years bought cosmetics/wellness products online.
At an overall level, 45% of internet users ordered readymade food (from restaurants, fast food chains, or catering delivery services) in 2025. Over half (52%) of households with children ordered food online compared with 41% in households with no children.
Some 31% in households with children were gaming online compared with over one in five (22%) in households with no children.
One-fifth (20%) of older internet users aged 75 years and over were using e-books (readable via dedicated electronic devices (e-reader), or desktop computers, laptops, tablets, or smartphones) or audio books as downloads.
Older females were far more likely to buy e-books or audio books as downloads at 36% compared with 10% of males aged 75 years or over.
Almost four in ten (37%) had purchased subscriptions/contracts for getting internet or mobile phone connections in the previous three months (done online rather than by going into a shop).
One in four (25%) had bought new subscriptions/contracts online (rather than by going into a shop or premises) for utility services such as electricity, water or heating supply, waste disposal or similar services in the previous three months. Note that this also relates to renewals.
Using films, series, or sports streaming services and streaming services such as Netflix, Disney+, Sky Sports, GAA+, etc., was reported by over seven in ten (71%) of internet users, up two percentage points on 2024.
Households with children were far more likely to use streaming services. Over eight in ten (82%) in households with children bought or subscribed to steaming services in 2025, up five percentage points from 2024 when the survey was last carried out.
Almost six in ten (56%) internet users had subscribed to a music streaming service such as Spotify, Apple music, etc.
Just one in nine (11%) people bought or sold shares, bonds, funds, or other financial assets (such as crypto currencies) online, an increase of three percentage points on the prevalence of this online activity compared with 2024. Males were far more likely than females more to carry out this activity online. Almost one in five (19%) males bought or sold shares/bonds online in 2025, compared with only 4% of females.
Females aged 30 to 44 years were most likely to take out a loan or mortgage online or arranged credit from banks or other financial providers online at 24% compared with one 14% of males of similar age. Males most likely to take out a loan or mortgage online were aged 45 to 59 years (20%).
Almost half (46%) 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. Males (53%) were more likely than females (39%) to buy/renew insurance policies online.
* 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.
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