In total, sales increased by 10 percent compared with 2024. The rise not only surpassed pandemic-era records but also showed broader sales than during those years.
"Then there was a bit of a temporary boost - that if you're going to shop, you should shop online. Today, consumers make a choice," says Postnord's e-commerce expert Jan Jakobsson.
Shops for the home
Of the eight industries measured by the e-commerce barometer, all but one saw positive growth in all quarters last year. The industry that lagged behind was books and media. The pharmacy industry saw the greatest growth, up 24 percent in the first quarter, 17 percent in the second and 18 percent in the third compared with 2024.
It certainly signals an underlying trend: that we consume, and we choose e-commerce.
Jan Jakobsson describes it as gratifying that the furniture and home furnishings industry has seen strong growth during the year.
This is probably a consequence of increased mobility in the housing market, with people starting to spend a little more on their homes. I think it's a really cool trend that furniture and home furnishings have such strong growth figures.
Competition is getting tougher
As the e-commerce market improves, competition among players is also increasing. In addition to competition from foreign players who attract Swedish customers, e-commerce companies need to keep up with technological developments so as not to fade into the crowd.
"They're quite costly investments you have to make when you're in this industry to keep up with technological developments," says Jan Jakobsson, adding:
"In the past, maybe just being on Google was enough."
At the same time, he predicts continued growth for e-commerce as households have more in their wallets in 2026, but he says the environment remains uncertain.
"If something happens that we can't see right now, it could change households' consumption patterns, causing people to start holding on to their wallets again."
