Email and info about goods most common online activities

Email and finding information about goods and services were the most popular internet activities in the first six months of 2024, according to new research from the Central Statistics Office.

The Household Digital Consumer Behaviour 2024 Report shows that internet or mobile banking, and instant messaging, were the next most popular internet activities.

Clothes, shoes or accessories continued to be the most commonly purchased items online.

There was a notable difference between the number of males and females buying clothes, shoes, or accessories online at 86% of females compared with 68% of males.

Males were far more likely to buy sports goods online.

Almost three-quarters of internet users communicated via social networking apps such as WhatsApp, Snapchat, Instagram, TikTok, X, etc, which was an increase of two percentage points on the same time in 2023.

The vast majority, 95%, of younger persons aged 16 to 29 years used social networking of some form.

Almost half of older persons aged 60 to 74 years were using social networking in the first half of 2024, while of internet users aged 75 years and over, 38% were using social networking sites such as WhatsApp and Meta to some degree.

There was an increase in the number of people ordering ready-made food online in the first half of 2024 compared to 2023.

Meanwhile, four in ten internet users made an online appointment or reservation with public authorities or services such as the passport service or a hospital appointment.

Around 85% of internet users had used free apps, and of these, over four in ten encountered difficulties when trying to close or delete the app.

More people were engaging in online learning in 2024, with males more likely than females to do an online course.

Almost seven in ten internet users used film, TV, or sports streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, GAAGO, and Sky Sports.

According to the CSO, 93% of people surveyed said they had used the internet within the previous three months, up from 92% last year.

Just 1% had used the internet but not recently, and only 6% had never used the internet.

"Our everyday lives are becoming far more digital, and in the first half of 2024, we were online and relying on technology and digital services more than ever," said Maureen Delamere, Statistician in the CSO Social Analysis Division.

"At an overall level, finding information about goods or services now shares top spot with email as the most popular internet activity in the first six months of 2024, while internet banking or mobile banking (including PayPal, Revolut, Apple Pay, etc), and instant messaging both moved to second place," Ms Delamere said.

"Use of email was up one percentage point from the first six months of 2023, whereas use of the internet to find information on goods and services had climbed four percentage points, compared with the same period in 2023," she added.