Winter holidays increased online spending, New Year's resolutions boosted gym memberships

January 2025 • 3 min

E-commerce in the Baltic states experienced remarkable growth during the holiday season, achieving a turnover of €140 million. As 2025 began, the surge in New Year's fitness resolutions significantly boosted gym attendance and drove demand for related services. This trend was evident in e-commerce rankings, where three gym operators secured spots among the top 20 leaders, as reported by Paysera.

According to Paysera data, during the busiest shopping period of the year – from 15 November to 31 December 2024 – the turnover of merchants and service providers in the Baltic states increased by 8% compared to the same period in the previous year.

"In Lithuania, the share of people shopping online is 60–65% and continues to grow, but it still lags behind the Western European average of 85–90%. This indicates untapped potential in e-commerce in Lithuania. Therefore, it's natural that online shopping volumes continue to increase. Inflation, which fluctuated between 1–2% in November and December, also had a partial influence on the growth of trade," says Justina Šidlauskienė, Deputy CEO of Paysera.

The average value of paid shopping carts during last year's holiday season remained almost unchanged compared to the same period of the year before and amounted to €68.

A slower start to the year

After the intense holiday season, online trade volumes decreased – during the first two weeks of 2025, sales were 7% lower than during the same period last year.

"Following an 8% turnover growth before New Year's, we are now observing a similarly scaled decrease in January. This could be related to more cautious consumer behaviour after holiday spending. In January, demand for luxury and other goods traditionally declines, as people tend to purchase these items during the holiday season," explains J. Šidlauskienė.

New Year's resolutions boost gym membership sales

Nevertheless, certain sectors experienced increased interest at the start of the year. In the first two weeks of 2025, the gym segment emerged as a standout, with three operators securing spots among the top 20 largest e-commerce players.

"We see how New Year's resolutions to live healthier lives are boosting the purchase of gym memberships. Consumers' commitment to investing in their health is indeed commendable. We can only wish that their determination and enthusiasm for exercise will endure throughout the year," says J. Šidlauskienė.