The percentage of people who made online purchases showed a significant increase, which reached 48% in the first quarter of 2021 compared to 34.1% in the corresponding period last year, according to data by the Statistical Service of Cyprus.
At the same time during the period of April 2020 – March 2021 the percentage of individuals who used the internet for interaction with public authorities has increased to 57.3% compared to 53.3% in the corresponding period of 2019-2020.
Also, 55.9% of individuals aged 16-74 used the internet to obtain information from public authorities or public services websites or apps, 47.6% to download or print official forms and 45.8% to submit completed forms online.
The most popular internet activities during the first quarter of 2021 were instant messaging via Skype, Messenger, WhatsApp, Viber (94.3%), making calls over the internet (94.2%), reading online news / newspapers / magazines (88.8%), finding information about goods or services (87.1%) and participating in social networks (Facebook, twitter) (86.6%).
A 21.7% of persons that used the internet in the first quarter of 2021, did an online course and 19.0% used online learning material other than a complete online course.
The most popular categories of goods/services ordered online were the following: deliveries or pick up from restaurants, fast-food chains (68.6%), clothes (including sport clothing) shoes or accessories (62.0%), computers, tablets, mobile phones or accessories (32.6%) and cosmetics, beauty or wellness products (20.3%).
Three out of four individuals, or 75.5% who bought or ordered goods or services for private use in the first quarter of 2021, preferred sellers from Cyprus, 61.8% bought from sellers from other EU countries and 56.8% from sellers from the rest of the world.
In 2021, Internet access in households reached 93.4% compared to 92.8% in 2020. An 80% of households have access to a personal computer (desktop, laptop/netbook or tablet) and a computer is found in almost all (95.4%) households with dependent children. In households with no dependent children that percentage drops to 74.2%.
Regarding the frequency of internet use, nine out of ten individuals use the Internet at least once a week. The Internet use decreases with age. Starting from 98.9% for the 16 – 24 age group the Internet use drops to 71.0% for the 55 – 74 age group. Persons with high educational attainment level (98.7%) use the internet more frequently than persons with low educational attainment level (67.8%).
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