From the sun-drenched villages of Spain to the picturesque countryside of France and Italy, e-commerce is bringing more choice to local economies and improving quality of life for rural residents across the European Union.
A recent study by Oxford Economics, commissioned by Amazon, provides a detailed look at how e-commerce is benefiting consumers and businesses in rural areas across Italy and France; and in Spain, a survey by SIGMA2 offers insights into consumer habits in rural areas. Nearly half of EU small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) selling on Amazon are located in rural areas, like the Polish E-wicker24, a family business selling traditional wicker products, pictured above.
Savings in time and distance travelled
According to the Oxford Economics study, the use of e-commerce leads to a significant reduction in travel time for rural shoppers, and a subsequent reduction in CO2 emissions. In total, people in Europe’s rural areas are saving up to 157 million kilometres in travel distance monthly thanks to online shopping options, the equivalent of circling the Earth almost 4,000 times. This translates into significant time savings: nearly two hours in Italy and 1.5 hours in France, per person every month. In Spain, 57% of people in rural areas say that online shopping saves them time. Rural residents are therefore gaining back approximately one full day each year that would have otherwise been spent on shopping trips.
These time savings often exceed those experienced by urban shoppers. In France and Italy, rural shoppers save 16% and 8% more time respectively than their urban counterparts.
Empowering rural businesses
E-commerce isn't just benefiting consumers. Amazon's role in helping local rural businesses become global sellers is making an important contribution to the revitalisation of the EU’s rural communities and economies. Nearly 50% of EU SMEs selling on Amazon are located in rural areas: 65% of sellers in France, almost 50% of those in Italy, and 30% of sellers in Spain. Amazon supports these businesses in reaching customers far beyond their local communities, opening up new opportunities for growth.
Víctor Juárez, CEO of Craftelier, a rural Spanish business specialising in scrapbooking and crafts, said: "Our family business started with a small village shop in Santa Olaja de la Ribera, a town of no more than 200 inhabitants. Today, we sell our products throughout Europe and the United States, with plans to expand soon to Canada, and we have a team of 160 people."
Changing shopping habits and wider product access
The additional opportunity presented by e-commerce is expanding shopping preferences across the EU’s rural communities, with varying patterns emerging in different member states. At least a third of rural shoppers in France and Italy are indifferent between online and in-store options, suggesting a growing acceptance of e-commerce among all retail options. The trend is particularly pronounced in Spain, where 62% of rural residents shop online at least once a month, and 38% do so weekly, indicating comfort with online retail.
E-commerce is not just changing how often people shop, but also what they can access, significantly expanding product availability for rural communities across the EU. For instance, the demand for books and e-books has grown by an average of 21% in France and Italy, creating opportunities for people to access more cultural and educational resources.
In the case of Spain, 66% of rural residents say that online shopping allows them to access products that aren't available in nearby physical stores; and 58% of Spanish rural shoppers state that e-commerce gives them access to a wider variety of products.