Internet usage in Turkey rises to 79 percent

ANKARA

Internet usage among Turks aged between 16 and 74 rose to 79 percent in 2020 from 75.3 percent the previous year, according to Turkish Statistical Institute’s (TÜİK) latest survey on information and communication technology usage in households.

Back in 2009, the internet usage among this age group was only 38.1 percent and climbed to 54 percent in 2014.

TÜİK also revealed that men used internet more than women.

While the share of internet usage among men was 84.7 percent, the share was 73.3 percent among females.

Between April 2019 and March 2020, 51.5 percent of internet users went online to contact government organizations or to access government services.

The rise in the internet use this year may be related to the COVID-19 pandemic which forced many people to stay at home.

Daily internet traffic in Turkey surged by 50 percent during the coronavirus outbreak in the country, with many working from their houses and getting schooled online, Ümit Önal, CEO of Türk Telekom, a major telecom company, commented in May.

The TÜİK survey also found that nearly 91 percent of households have access to internet, up from 88.3 percent in the previous year. Only 30 percent of households in Turkey had access to the internet at home in 2009.

Some 90 percent of households have broadband access to internet in 2020, marking a slight increase from the previous year’s 87.9 percent.

The survey revealed 50.8 percent use fixed broadband connection, such as ADSL, cable and optic fiber, while 86.9 percent use mobile broadband connection.

[HH] Online shopping on the rise

During April 2019 and March 2020, 36.5 percent of internet users went online to buy goods or services versus 34.1 percent a year earlier.

Men used internet for shopping more than female users did. Around 40 percent of male users bought goods and services on the web while the corresponding rate for female users was 33 percent.

Clothes, shoes and accessories topped the shopping list with 60.9 percent, while 26 percent of online shoppers bought books, magazines and newspapers. The next most popular item was online food orders and catering services with 22.5 percent.

According to the survey, a little more than 21 percent of internet users purchased cosmetics and health products online and 17 percent bought household goods such as furniture and home accessories. Some 18 percent of online shoppers bought hygiene and personal care products over the same period.

Male internet users purchased mostly clothes and shoes (54.2 percent), followed by online food orders and catering services (24 percent) and book, magazines and newspapers (22.5 percent). Some 68.5 percent of female shoppers used the internet to buy clothes and shoes, while 32 percent bought cosmetics and health products. According to the survey, 30 percent of female internet users went online to buy books, magazines and newspapers.