Almost 75 per cent of European adults access the Internet regularly, and more than half of them own two or more connected devices, according to Forrester’s report on the state of consumers and technology for Europe. Based on a survey of more than 22,000 respondents, the study provides in-depth graphical analysis of a wide range of topics, including online activities, device ownership, media consumption, retail, social media, and mobile behaviors across the UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain.

“Consumers in Europe are more connected today than ever before,” comments Forrester Research Director Reineke Reitsm. She adds, however, that “Companies that want to interact with these new, perpetually connected customers will need to take into account the differences that exist between European countries.”

Survey data findings from the benchmark include:
– UK consumers are the most connected in Europe, with 83 per cent going online regularly. UK online adults are also the most likely to own a device like a laptop (64 per cent), smartphone (52 per cent), or tablet (12 per cent).
– French consumers are behind the curve in terms of consumer tech adoption; they are the least likely to own a laptop (56 per cent), smartphone (42 per cent), or tablet (7 per cent).
– Consumers aren’t just online at home. While 64 per cent of European online adults access the Internet from their living room, 44 per cent from the bedroom, and 31 per cent from the kitchen, 22 per cent state they are online when they are outdoors — and 14 per cent when in the car.
– Twitter is least popular in Germany and France. Only 5 per cent of German online adults and 7 per cent of French online adults state that they have a Twitter account, compared with 18 per cent in the UK. Facebook adoption is much more evenly spread across Europe; on average, 58 per cent of European online adults have an account on this social network.

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