Sustainability is a greater priority for Gen Z and Millennials than for Gen X and Baby Boomers. Around 7 in 10 Gen Z and Millennial shoppers choose sustainable products or delivery options, compared with 6 in 10 Gen X and Baby Boomers.
| Choose sustainable products or delivery options |
Gen Z | 72% |
Millennials | 70% |
Gen X | 65% |
Baby Boomers | 61% |
- 31% Only buy from retailers with sustainable delivery/returns
- 20% Accept longer delivery/returns times
- 20% Use collection/drop-off point
- 19% None of these
- 10% Pay more for delivery/returns
Only buy from retailers that use a sustainable delivery and returns providers | Accept a longer delivery or returns time | Switch to collection or drop-off options | Pay more for delivery or returns | |
Argentina | 32% | 26% | 14% | 10% |
Australia | 27% | 19% | 18% | 9% |
Austria | 23% | 23% | 21% | 6% |
Belgium | 17% | 17% | 32% | 8% |
Brazil | 38% | 21% | 18% | 7% |
Canada | 28% | 20% | 18% | 7% |
China | 25% | 14% | 38% | 18% |
Czech Republic | 28% | 18% | 19% | 8% |
Denmark | 20% | 23% | 19% | 9% |
France | 19% | 12% | 46% | 7% |
Germany | 25% | 21% | 19% | 10% |
India | 46% | 19% | 12% | 17% |
Italy | 28% | 20% | 24% | 9% |
Malaysia | 38% | 25% | 13% | 9% |
Morocco | 41% | 22% | 17% | 12% |
Netherlands | 21% | 20% | 26% | 9% |
Nigeria | 56% | 12% | 11% | 18% |
Poland | 27% | 14% | 15% | 8% |
Portugal | 29% | 25% | 22% | 4% |
Saudi Arabia | 34% | 25% | 18% | 13% |
South Africa | 48% | 15% | 20% | 12% |
Spain | 25% | 24% | 24% | 8% |
Sweden | 27% | 21% | 21% | 7% |
Switzerland | 22% | 24% | 18% | 10% |
Thailand | 46% | 14% | 10% | 11% |
Türkiye | 41% | 17% | 19% | 10% |
UAE | 34% | 25% | 20% | 14% |
UK | 25% | 18% | 23% | 12% |
USA | 26% | 19% | 15% | 15% |
GLOBAL | 31% | 20% | 20% | 10% |
Europe | 25% | 20% | 23% | 8% |
Gen Z | 31% | 19% | 22% | 14% |
Millennials | 29% | 21% | 22% | 13% |
Gen X | 31% | 20% | 20% | 8% |
Baby Boomers | 32% | 19% | 17% | 4% |
Purchased pre-owned or refurbished items | Purchased items made of recycled materials/ ethically | Received recycling instructions from retailers for products at end-of-life | Received information on how to repair or maintain products for longevity | Purchased spare parts for repairs | Taken part in trade-in or buy-back programs | Choosing eco-friendly delivery and returns options | |
Argentina | 35% | 34% | 37% | 43% | 48% | 31% | 32% |
Australia | 48% | 42% | 34% | 38% | 37% | 24% | 34% |
Austria | 43% | 36% | 30% | 41% | 47% | 20% | 36% |
Belgium | 38% | 34% | 32% | 37% | 38% | 27% | 36% |
Brazil | 38% | 46% | 43% | 54% | 49% | 48% | 42% |
Canada | 44% | 41% | 35% | 38% | 36% | 24% | 36% |
China | 43% | 52% | 56% | 63% | 58% | 57% | 58% |
Czech Republic | 40% | 36% | 36% | 41% | 46% | 36% | 30% |
Denmark | 42% | 41% | 31% | 35% | 42% | 19% | 32% |
France | 55% | 39% | 40% | 44% | 45% | 30% | 40% |
Germany | 48% | 40% | 34% | 43% | 48% | 27% | 40% |
India | 42% | 62% | 58% | 61% | 53% | 43% | 71% |
Italy | 47% | 46% | 48% | 49% | 51% | 31% | 48% |
Malaysia | 45% | 49% | 49% | 62% | 61% | 47% | 54% |
Morocco | 50% | 50% | 53% | 65% | 53% | 52% | 55% |
Netherlands | 41% | 36% | 31% | 40% | 39% | 29% | 38% |
Nigeria | 51% | 58% | 55% | 74% | 55% | 50% | 67% |
Poland | 48% | 46% | 39% | 46% | 50% | 34% | 40% |
Portugal | 43% | 47% | 45% | 49% | 43% | 38% | 39% |
Saudi Arabia | 40% | 50% | 56% | 66% | 59% | 58% | 58% |
South Africa | 50% | 57% | 51% | 58% | 49% | 39% | 58% |
Spain | 47% | 44% | 42% | 44% | 44% | 35% | 46% |
Sweden | 54% | 46% | 40% | 39% | 43% | 30% | 39% |
Switzerland | 40% | 42% | 37% | 45% | 49% | 26% | 41% |
Thailand | 45% | 60% | 54% | 62% | 57% | 57% | 61% |
Türkiye | 41% | 51% | 49% | 70% | 59% | 43% | 56% |
UAE | 48% | 59% | 58% | 64% | 56% | 56% | 62% |
UK | 50% | 47% | 40% | 38% | 42% | 32% | 41% |
USA | 51% | 47% | 40% | 43% | 42% | 33% | 45% |
GLOBAL | 45% | 46% | 43% | 50% | 48% | 37% | 46% |
Europe | 45% | 42% | 38% | 44% | 46% | 30% | 40% |
Gen Z | 52% | 50% | 48% | 55% | 50% | 43% | 50% |
Millennials | 50% | 50% | 47% | 55% | 53% | 44% | 50% |
Gen X | 43% | 44% | 42% | 48% | 47% | 35% | 45% |
Baby Boomers | 32% | 39% | 34% | 40% | 42% | 23% | 36% |
Purchased pre-owned or refurbished items | Purchased items made of recycled materials/ ethically sourced | Received recycling instructions from retailers for products at end-of-life | Received information on how to repair or maintain products for longevity | Purchased spare parts for repairs | Taken part in trade-in or buy-back programs | Choosing eco-friendly delivery and returns options | |
Argentina | 16% | 25% | 26% | 23% | 20% | 26% | 28% |
Australia | 12% | 14% | 16% | 17% | 14% | 18% | 19% |
Austria | 14% | 16% | 17% | 17% | 15% | 18% | 20% |
Belgium | 13% | 15% | 16% | 15% | 13% | 14% | 17% |
Brazil | 19% | 25% | 26% | 22% | 20% | 23% | 29% |
Canada | 12% | 15% | 16% | 16% | 16% | 18% | 20% |
China | 20% | 21% | 21% | 15% | 17% | 21% | 19% |
Czech Republic | 15% | 18% | 18% | 17% | 15% | 18% | 19% |
Denmark | 11% | 12% | 12% | 15% | 12% | 14% | 15% |
France | 13% | 19% | 18% | 19% | 16% | 19% | 22% |
Germany | 11% | 15% | 16% | 14% | 12% | 15% | 14% |
India | 15% | 13% | 16% | 16% | 14% | 19% | 14% |
Italy | 12% | 15% | 13% | 12% | 12% | 14% | 15% |
Malaysia | 22% | 25% | 26% | 21% | 18% | 26% | 26% |
Morocco | 15% | 20% | 18% | 17% | 18% | 22% | 24% |
Netherlands | 14% | 17% | 16% | 16% | 14% | 18% | 17% |
Nigeria | 13% | 18% | 22% | 14% | 20% | 23% | 19% |
Poland | 15% | 19% | 17% | 17% | 16% | 21% | 23% |
Portugal | 18% | 21% | 20% | 19% | 17% | 22% | 27% |
Saudi Arabia | 13% | 16% | 18% | 14% | 14% | 18% | 18% |
South Africa | 13% | 19% | 21% | 18% | 18% | 24% | 22% |
Spain | 13% | 16% | 16% | 18% | 18% | 16% | 17% |
Sweden | 12% | 19% | 19% | 21% | 16% | 21% | 21% |
Switzerland | 15% | 18% | 16% | 16% | 15% | 17% | 17% |
Thailand | 23% | 24% | 26% | 25% | 25% | 27% | 26% |
Türkiye | 18% | 23% | 22% | 13% | 17% | 21% | 21% |
UAE | 14% | 15% | 16% | 14% | 15% | 17% | 17% |
UK | 10% | 13% | 16% | 15% | 12% | 16% | 17% |
USA | 9% | 13% | 14% | 14% | 12% | 14% | 17% |
GLOBAL | 14% | 18% | 18% | 17% | 16% | 19% | 20% |
Europe | 14% | 17% | 17% | 16% | 15% | 18% | 19% |
Gen Z | 15% | 19% | 19% | 17% | 18% | 20% | 21% |
Millennials | 14% | 17% | 17% | 15% | 15% | 18% | 18% |
Gen X | 15% | 19% | 19% | 18% | 16% | 21% | 20% |
Baby Boomers | 14% | 17% | 19% | 18% | 14% | 18% | 20% |
What items do shoppers buy pre-owned or refurbished?
Clothing | Footwear | Electronics | Cosmetics / beauty products, perfumes, toiletries | Food & Beverages | |
Global | 64% | 51% | 49% | 46% | 41% |
What would make shoppers more likely to use a recycling or buy-back program?
Selling pre-owned or refurbished items |
| Provides clear recycling instructions for products when customers have finished with them | Provide Information on how to repair or fix past purchases so they last longer | Customers able to buy spare parts to fix or repair past purchases | Trade-in or buy-back program | Offers customers eco-friendly delivery/ returns options | |
Argentina | 24% | 30% | 43% | 45% | 46% | 36% | 33% |
Australia | 49% | 53% | 58% | 59% | 51% | 47% | 65% |
Austria | 59% | 60% | 61% | 58% | 65% | 62% | 63% |
Belgium | 39% | 47% | 43% | 43% | 44% | 43% | 52% |
Brazil | 32% | 37% | 51% | 53% | 47% | 54% | 44% |
Canada | 33% | 42% | 41% | 39% | 37% | 26% | 37% |
China | 30% | 42% | 52% | 46% | 52% | 50% | 50% |
Czech Republic | 24% | 20% | 22% | 22% | 19% | 21% | 21% |
Denmark | 32% | 48% | 52% | 46% | 44% | 36% | 46% |
France | 41% | 44% | 50% | 43% | 44% | 38% | 45% |
Germany | 42% | 49% | 50% | 45% | 47% | 41% | 55% |
India | 59% | 69% | 70% | 60% | 61% | 54% | 77% |
Italy | 43% | 43% | 50% | 42% | 44% | 37% | 54% |
Malaysia | 81% | 81% | 83% | 86% | 81% | 83% | 81% |
Netherlands | 46% | 45% | 44% | 44% | 41% | 38% | 53% |
Nigeria | 77% | 77% | 84% | 85% | 86% | 77% | 82% |
Poland | 36% | 45% | 40% | 41% | 45% | 36% | 40% |
Portugal | 45% | 52% | 51% | 41% | 43% | 39% | 38% |
Saudi Arabia | 58% | 73% | 70% | 71% | 67% | 80% | 71% |
South Africa | 45% | 55% | 60% | 60% | 51% | 44% | 64% |
Spain | 40% | 50% | 52% | 44% | 44% | 42% | 44% |
Sweden | 37% | 57% | 53% | 47% | 47% | 58% | 53% |
Switzerland | 52% | 50% | 56% | 53% | 53% | 56% | 60% |
Thailand | 41% | 38% | 44% | 46% | 39% | 37% | 40% |
Türkiye | 44% | 53% | 48% | 52% | 59% | 46% | 64% |
United Arab Emirates | 49% | 50% | 56% | 58% | 55% | 67% | 62% |
United Kingdom | 46% | 52% | 56% | 48% | 42% | 35% | 51% |
USA | 43% | 46% | 51% | 49% | 38% | 36% | 53% |
GLOBAL | 44% | 50% | 53% | 50% | 49% | 46% | 53% |
Meet the eco shopper
67% of global shoppers choose sustainable products or sustainable delivery options.
These sustainability-conscious shoppers increasingly expect retailers to support greener ways of shopping, with 35% wanting green logistics to become standard within the next five years. For some, sustainability extends beyond domestic shopping, leading them to seek more ethically sourced products from retailers in other countries.
Meet the secondhand shopper
49% of global shoppers have purchased refurbished or pre-owned items online.
These circular shoppers are highly engaged online, using social platforms as a key purchasing channel and marketplaces to both buy and sell. In fact, 68% have sold an item through an online marketplace. While motivated by value and sustainability, they still expect a reliable, high-quality delivery experience.
All stats and figures are taken from the DHL eCommerce Trends Surveys conducted between December 15th 2025 and February 11th 2026. Within the last three months prior to the survey, shopper respondents were required to have made at least one purchase online and business respondents were required to have regularly sold items online. For shoppers, 50+ questions were asked to 29,000 respondents across 29 countries (1,000 per country), and 50+ questions were asked to 5,800 respondents in 28 countries worldwide, with an equal split across demographics – where possible. Note Morocco did not have a large enough number of business respondents to be included in the business data, as such, results for this country are not included. The countries chosen for this survey represent some of the most active e-commerce markets across the globe. Where percentages do not equal 100%, this is due to certain questions having multiple-choice options. Where there is a deviation of percentages over 100%, this is due to rounding of answer options. Not all data from the survey is displayed on this page or within our report. Country, regional, generational, shopper and business profile data is provided, but this does not reach a level of statistical significance to make definitive statements about specific groups globally. Figures are correct at the time of publishing.
