Turkey: Online shopping grows 85% in 2020

By Tuba Sahin

ANKARA (AA) - Online shopping expenditures increased 85% year-on-year in Turkey last year as the coronavirus pandemic has changed shopping habits of people, according to Association of E-Commerce Operators (ETID).

"E-commerce volume is expected to reach $34 million in 2020", Emre Ekmekci, chairman of the association, said on Friday.

Posting a record high growth in 2020 with the pandemic effect, Turkish e-commerce sector is projected to hit $54 million this year, Ekmekci underlined.

Supermarket was the most favored category last year as lockdown measures lead consumers shop online, he said.

Citing Trade Ministry data, Ekmekci said online grocery shopping surged five-fold during the COVID-19 outbreak.

He highlighted age scale spread to 17-70 while it used to be mostly 45 and below.

Pointing that new business models launched with the backing of the rise in supply and demand, Ekmekci said: "All small or large-scale companies that have overcome the physical restrictions imposed because of the coronavirus with investing in e-commerce and providing service online have won in this period."

The number of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) conducting e-commerce rose to 100,000 in 2020, up from 69,999, he said.