Southern Europe leads in usage, with Greece at 79%, Portugal at 77%, and Spain at 69%. A new €3 fee on cheap parcels is already cutting volumes at a key hub.
Alpha Score of 39 reflects weak overall profile with weak momentum, poor value, weak quality, weak sentiment.
More than half of euro-area consumers have bought from Chinese platforms such as Temu, Shein, and AliExpress at least once, the European Central Bank said in a survey published this spring. The numbers look very different depending on where you live.
In Greece, 79% of respondents had used a Chinese ecommerce site. Portugal came in at 77%, Spain at 69%. France and Germany lagged at 43% and 40% respectively. The ECB called the gap "striking" and attributed it to differences in consumer habits, platform awareness, delivery infrastructure, trust, and the strength of local retail alternatives.
Low prices and wide product choice are the main draws, the survey found. "In sum, low prices combined with extensive product choice appear to be the core competitive advantage of these platforms," the ECB said.
The survey was triggered by a sharp increase in low-value parcel imports. Shipments of items below €150 doubled from 2023 to 2024. Growth has since slowed. Imports of cheap parcels rose only 26% in 2025, and recent data from Liège Airport – one of Europe's main entry points for Chinese ecommerce – show a contraction. The number of ecommerce parcels entering customs at Liège fell 24% year-on-year in July and 41% compared with June. The airport linked the decline to a European measure that took effect July 1: a €3 charge on parcels valued under €150. Shipments valued above €150 rose 10% over the same period.
The fee may nudge some buying patterns. The ECB concluded that "geopolitics do not seem to deter many consumers." Price, however, does.
For European retailers and logistics firms, the takeaway is straightforward: the price gap remains wide, and Southern Europe looks like the most exposed market. The declining volume at Liège suggests the new fee is having a measurable effect on the cheapest tier of shipments, even if the broader trend toward Chinese platforms appears intact.
Prepared with AlphaScala editorial tooling from the source reporting linked above. Indexable analysis may include a cited Alpha Score value. Publishing checks screen each story before release. Educational coverage, not personalized advice.