Among the top online shopping categories by gender in France, clothing and accessories dominates for both sexes but reveals a striking 18-point gap — 75% of female shoppers purchased clothing online compared to 57% of male shoppers. Beauty and skincare shows the sharpest divergence of all categories, with women outpacing men by 22 percentage points (41% vs. 19%), underscoring a strongly gendered consumption pattern in personal appearance categories.
Men lead decisively in technology-oriented purchases: 31% bought electronics and gadgets online versus just 16% of women, and 27% purchased appliances compared to 15% of women. Digital products such as apps, games, and subscriptions also skew male at 22% against 13% for women. Footwear is the most balanced category, with men at 41% and women at 40%, suggesting near-equal online purchasing behaviour regardless of gender. Groceries show a modest female lean (35% vs. 32%), while home essentials and home décor register only marginal differences between the two groups.
These purchasing patterns reflect broader demographic and economic shifts in France. As explored in data on Device Usage Breakdown in France and the Changing Median Age of Population in France (2000–2030), an ageing, increasingly connected population continues to reshape how different consumer segments engage with e-commerce across categories.
