As online sales soar, European regulators scramble to curb the flood of unsafe imports from China, highlighting a growing divide in the digital marketplace
Europe’s e-commerce market is on a steep upward trajectory, set to account for nearly a fifth of the continent’s retail sales by 2029, according to new research by Forrester.
Online shopping in the region is projected to skyrocket from €389 billion in 2024 to €565 billion in five years.
However, this booming digital marketplace is not without its challenges.
While countries like the UK, Germany, and France lead the charge, a surge in imports from Chinese platforms like Temu and Shein has raised alarms in Brussels.
The European Commission has warned that an influx of cheap, often unsafe goods is overwhelming the market, putting consumer safety at risk and stifling local businesses.
As Brussels weighs new taxes on e-commerce imports, the debate over how to balance digital growth with consumer protection intensifies.
Retailers must adapt quickly, blending online and offline strategies to stay competitive in an increasingly digital world.