Online Retail and E-Commerce in the EU and Bulgaria

Online shopping across the EU continues to grow, while regional disparities remain significant. According to Eurostat, the share of people ordering goods and services online ranges from 22% to 91% across different EU regions, with the Netherlands, Denmark, Ireland and Sweden among the top performers.
Bulgaria is at the bottom of the ranking – only 57% of internet users shop online, compared to an EU average of 77%. The South-East region, including Burgas, has the lowest share of online buyers in the entire EU – 21.7% over the last three months. The reasons are a combination of lower income levels, limited digital skills, low trust in online payments, weaker logistics outside major cities and a persistent „digital divide“ between North-Western and South-Eastern Europe.
At the same time, over 92% of Bulgarian households already have internet access, which clearly shows that the infrastructure is in place and the growth potential for e-commerce is substantial. This turns regions like South-East Bulgaria into high-opportunity markets for online business, local merchants and digital agencies that can help businesses in the region close the digital gap and scale their online sales channels.

Online shopping in the EU and Bulgaria: why is the South-East region lagging behind?

E-commerce is no longer a „new trend“ – it is a mature part of the daily life of millions of Europeans. However, the latest Eurostat data show that the online landscape across the European Union is highly uneven: while in some regions over 90% of people shop online, in others their share remains around or below 25%. At the very bottom of this ranking is the South-East region of Bulgaria – the region that includes Burgas. (European Commission)

What the EU data tell us

According to Eurostat’s 2024 study „Online shopping from 22% to 91% across EU regions“, in 23 NUTS 2 regions of the EU at least 80% of the population aged 16–74 had ordered goods or services online during the three months preceding the survey. Almost half of these regions are in the Netherlands – all twelve Dutch regions are above this threshold. They are joined by all regions in Denmark and Ireland, three regions in Sweden and the capital region of the Czech Republic (Prague). (European Commission)

On the published chart with the highest and lowest regional values, the Utrecht region (Netherlands) clearly stands out – over 91% of people there have shopped online. It is followed by Flevoland and other Dutch regions, as well as the Irish Northern and Western region. At the other end of the scale, in the lower part of the same chart, we see several Italian and French regions, France’s overseas territories, the Portuguese region of Madeira and two Bulgarian regions. (European Commission)

At country level, the picture is equally clear. In the EU in 2024:

• 94% of people aged 16–74 used the internet in the last 12 months;
• 77% of internet users ordered goods or services online during the same period;
• the highest share of online buyers among internet users is in Ireland (96%), the Netherlands (94%) and Denmark (91%). 

 

Where does Bulgaria stand compared to other countries?

Bulgaria is at the opposite end of the spectrum. According to Eurostat’s EU-wide 2024 survey on online shopping, our country has the lowest share of internet users who shop online – 57%, versus an EU average of 77%. Italy and Romania follow with 60% each. 

At the same time, Bulgarian households are increasingly connected. In 2024, 92.1% of households in Bulgaria had internet access at home – 94.7% in urban areas and 84.3% in rural areas. (NSI - National Statistical Institute)
This means that the challenge is not the lack of technical access, but rather how the internet is used – in this case, for e-commerce and digital transactions.
 

The regional picture in Bulgaria

NSI data, harmonised with Eurostat, provide an even clearer view when we look at the regional level (NUTS 2). In 2024, the share of people (aged 16–74) who purchased goods or services online in the last 3 months was:

Total for Bulgaria: 33.3%

• South-West (Sofia and region): 44.7%
• North-Central: 36.8%
• North-East: 33.1%
• South-Central: 26.5%
• North-West: 24.9%
• South-East: 21.7%

It is precisely the South-East region – including the districts of Burgas, Sliven, Stara Zagora and Yambol – that reports the lowest share of online buyers not only in Bulgaria, but across the entire EU.

Alongside it, only two other regions are below 25%: the French overseas region of Guadeloupe and the North-West region in Bulgaria. 

In other words:
European statistics place the South-East region literally at the very bottom of the EU in terms of propensity for online shopping.
 

Why is the South-East lagging behind? Possible explanations

Statistics do not provide direct „reasons“. However, based on public data and existing research, several key factors can be identified.

1. Income levels, employment and economic structure

The South-East region is characterised by pronounced seasonality (tourism along the Black Sea coast) and a significant share of traditional industries – manufacturing, agriculture, logistics. In such economies, wages and employment tend to be more volatile, and consumer spending is more cautious. Eurostat data on regional income and risk of poverty show that many regions in Eastern and Southern Europe – including in Bulgaria – remain below EU averages. (European Commission)
Lower incomes mean less disposable spending power and more conservative consumer behaviour – including a slower shift towards online shopping and a strong preference for the familiar „corner shop“.

2. Digital skills and trust

European and national reports indicate that Bulgaria lags behind in key indicators for digital skills and the adoption of digital services, despite progress in e-government. 

With lower levels of digital literacy, users tend to:

• struggle with navigating online stores and e-commerce applications;
• fear making mistakes during online payment;
• worry about misuse of personal data and online fraud.

This lack of trust is particularly evident in smaller towns and villages, which are common across the South-East region.

3. Urban–rural and intra-regional disparities

Official statistics show that the share of people who shop online is significantly higher in urban areas than in rural ones. (Source: NSI)
The South-East region combines a dynamic coastal hub such as Burgas with extensive rural and semi-rural territories inland. With such a structure, it is likely that:

• in larger cities, online shopping penetration is close to the national average;
• while in smaller settlements it remains significantly lower.

The regional average (21.7%) effectively „masks“ this internal contrast.

4. Logistics

Bulgarian e-commerce market analyses highlight that logistics is one of the main friction points – delivery times, costs and service quality, especially outside major cities. (balkanecommerce.com)
When delivery to a small town or village is slower, more expensive or operationally inconvenient (no local courier office, limited pick-up slots), the incentive to order online is significantly reduced.

5. Historical lag and the „digital divide“

European studies on the regional „digital divide“ show persistent gaps between Northern/Western and South-Eastern Europe in terms of internet use and e-commerce adoption, which tend to reproduce themselves over time. (Idus)
The South-East region has traditionally been weaker in indicators such as innovation capacity and broadband coverage. This historical lag cannot be closed within just a few years.
 

What does this mean for Burgas and the region?

The fact that the South-East region of Bulgaria ranks last in the EU for online shopping is not a „verdict“. It is a signal of untapped potential. The country already has:

• • over 92% of households with internet access;
• • almost 50% of individuals shopping online at least once a year; (NSI - National Statistical Institute)
• • a fast-growing e-commerce sector that already accounts for over 2% of GDP, yet still below average EU benchmarks. 

For cities like Burgas, this opens several strategic directions:
(1) Business opportunity – local companies that invest in high-performing websites, online stores and digital sales channels have the chance to become first movers and secure leading positions in a market that is far from saturated and is expected to catch up with the rest of the EU.
(2) Education and digital skills – schools, universities, libraries, municipalities and NGOs can focus programmes on practical digital literacy – online payments, cybersecurity, fraud prevention, and consumer rights in a digital environment.
(3) Infrastructure and logistics – every investment in better fulfilment and last-mile solutions (local hubs, more flexible courier services, automated parcel lockers) increases the business case for online shopping and improves customer experience.
 

Instead of a conclusion

European maps and dashboards are not just „statistics“ – they show where we stand today and what our strategic direction can be tomorrow. At this moment, the South-East region of Bulgaria is at the very bottom of the EU in terms of online shopping penetration. But the same data clearly highlight something else:

• internet access is already widely available;
• consumers are gradually adopting online shopping;
• companies and institutions have a strong interest in accelerating this transition.

If we manage to combine robust digital infrastructure, targeted training, higher trust and reliable logistics, the next Eurostat maps may look very different – with the South-East region of Bulgaria no longer in the dark-blue „bottom band“, but much closer to, or even above, the EU average.