German e-commerce grows 4.3% in 2026

German e-commerce continues to outpace brick-and-mortar stores, with marketplaces accounting for more than half of all online sales and consumers aged 55+ emerging as the fastest-growing shopper segment.

Germany’s e-commerce market is on track for another year of solid growth in 2026, with the German Retail Association (HDE) forecasting a nominal sales increase of 4.3% compared to the previous year. That growth rate stands in sharp contrast to the 1.6% projected for physical retail, cementing e-commerce’s position as the primary engine of the country’s broader retail industry, according to the announcement on HDE’s website.

Marketplaces Still Rule Online Retail

Online marketplaces remain the dominant force in German e-commerce. In 2025, these platforms accounted for 56.7% of total online sales in Germany – up 5.9% year-on-year. The figures confirm that marketplaces are not just holding their ground but actively expanding their share of a growing market.

“E-commerce is on a growth trajectory. Despite weak consumer sentiment, the sector continues to establish itself as the growth engine of the entire retail industry,” said Stephan Tromp, Deputy Managing Director of HDE.

No Sector Is Immune to E-Commerce – Except One (For Now)

According to the HDE Online Monitor, online retail now plays a significant role across virtually every product category. The sole exception remains FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) – food and drugstore products – where e-commerce represented just 4.9% of market sales in 2025. However, this segment is catching up fast: it posted 10.4% growth in the past year, making it one of the highest-growth categories in online retail.

Cross-Border Shopping and the chinese marketplaces Factor

International platforms continue to draw German consumers. The HDE Online Monitor reports that 65% of Germans have ordered from abroad at least once, with 49% of those shoppers purchasing from China. Foreign online providers now account for nearly €11 billion in German online retail sales. Of that figure, approximately €4.7 billion is attributable to chinese marketplaces alone.

The association is calling for stronger regulatory action. Tromp stated: “The strong momentum in the online marketplace sector highlights how important it is to ensure fair competition among all providers. Unfortunately, this is still not the case (…) Policymakers need to do much more. We need consistent and meaningful penalties, as well as regulations that can be effectively monitored.”

Older Shoppers Are a Growing Force

One of the report’s most notable findings concerns the age structure of German online shoppers. While the overall number of online shoppers across all age groups grew by an average of 1.2% in 2025, the 55-and-over segment grew by 3.1% – more than double the average rate.

The HDE attributes this to a generational carry-over effect: consumers who adopted online shopping and social media habits at a younger age are simply continuing those habits as they get older.

“People who start shopping online as teenagers do not suddenly stop doing so as they get older. The same applies to the use of social media and following influencers,” said Tromp.

AI Enters the Shopping Journey

Artificial intelligence is also beginning to shape how Germans shop online. According to the HDE Online Monitor 2026, 35% of people in Germany already use AI tools to research products before making a purchase. The association notes that it remains to be seen which AI-powered applications consumers will ultimately adopt at scale.

“We are seeing AI solutions becoming more and more integrated into the purchasing process. It remains to be seen which applications consumers will ultimately embrace,” Tromp added.

Source: HDE Online Monitor 2026, published by the German Retail Association (HDE). The full report is available at www.einzelhandel.de/online-monitor.

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