Nearly one-fifth of Europeans aged 55 years and over now have access to the internet, according to new figures from Forrester Research.
The 19% penetration equates to 15.5 million European seniors and represents a 50% growth in the last two and a half years, up from 9.9 million users in 2000.
The increase comes mainly from the younger end of the age group, aged 55-64 years. Currently, French and Spanish seniors’ reluctance to use the web is holding back European growth, according to Forrester.
| European Online Users Aged 55+ |
| |
|
|
| |
2000 |
2002 |
| Number Of Users (million) |
9.9 |
15.5 |
| Online penetration (%) |
12 |
19 |
| Source: Forrester Research, March 2003 |
An analysis of web usage reveals that viewing stock market information and looking at weather forecasts are both used more heavily by seniors than the all European users average, as shown below.
On the other hand, fewer seniors use the web for buying goods and services, with just 4% having made a purchase in the last three months, as compared to an 11% average.
| Seniors’ Web Usage |
| |
|
|
|
| |
All Europeans |
Seniors |
Index |
| View stock market prices |
13% |
16% |
1.23 |
| Look up weather information |
19% |
23% |
1.21 |
| Visit government agency sites |
21% |
24% |
1.14 |
| Research holiday destinations |
38% |
43% |
1.13 |
| Financial transactions |
19% |
20% |
1.05 |
| Send email |
82% |
79% |
0.96 |
| Email/manage/store digital photos |
16% |
15% |
0.94 |
| Use reference sites |
21% |
19% |
0.90 |
| Research products |
59% |
50% |
0.85 |
| Randomly surf the web |
48% |
35% |
0.73 |
| Use online banking |
17% |
7% |
0.41 |
| Bought online in last 3 months |
11% |
4% |
0.36 |
| Source: Forrester Research, March 2003 |
