European Statistics
Direct Selling, Europe's largest provider of independent business opportunities.
Statistics Europe
Direct selling is a large and growing sector within the non-store retail trade in Europe. Direct sales volume shows a constant growth over the last five years. Over 4 million people are engaged in direct selling in European Union, a figure that goes up over 11 million for the whole European continent. Direct selling companies offer in Europe permanent employment to over 26,000 people and 76% of the products they sell are manufactured in Europe.
The following figures were collected in cooperation with the World Federation of Direct Selling Associations. For global statistics consult:
> Download WFDSA Statistics PDF
> Download European Statistics PDF
"Total sales turnover in European Direct Selling represents over 15 billion Euros."
"Over 11 million of persons are active in direct selling in Europe out of which 81% are women"
Direct Selling in Europe - 2010 Retail Sales
(in million € - VAT excl)
|
Countries
|
Sales
(in million €)
|
Salesforce
|
Nr. of employees
in DS companies
|
Selling methods
|
|
Nr
|
% women
|
% part-time
|
Person to Person
|
Party Plan
|
|
Austria (2)
|
199,700
|
14600
|
55%
|
75%
|
na
|
na
|
na
|
|
Belgium
|
158,858
|
17548
|
72%
|
64%
|
801
|
12%
|
77%
|
|
Bulgaria
|
49,120
|
130136
|
85%
|
80%
|
152
|
91%
|
9%
|
|
Czech Rep (1)
|
300,000
|
221000
|
92%
|
94%
|
301
|
99%
|
1%
|
|
Denmark
|
46,960
|
72583
|
60%
|
93%
|
na
|
50%
|
50%
|
|
Estonia
|
12,862
|
21000
|
95%
|
na
|
68
|
95%
|
5%
|
|
Finland
|
174,000
|
80000
|
80%
|
92%
|
200
|
62%
|
36%
|
|
France
|
1809,000
|
300000
|
78%
|
80%
|
3286
|
64%
|
36%
|
|
Germany
|
2840,000
|
660968
|
73%
|
90%
|
4746
|
62%
|
37%
|
|
Greece
|
163,574
|
154846
|
na
|
na
|
400
|
na
|
na
|
|
Hungary
|
98,840
|
239024
|
78%
|
86%
|
559
|
97%
|
3%
|
|
Ireland
|
54,300
|
22000
|
75%
|
85%
|
347
|
82%
|
18%
|
|
Italy (1)
|
2421,311
|
390482
|
75%
|
94%
|
1490
|
64%
|
36%
|
|
Latvia
|
17,187
|
25900
|
94%
|
na
|
90
|
81%
|
19%
|
|
Lithuania
|
23,632
|
30500
|
94%
|
na
|
244
|
75%
|
25%
|
|
Luxembourg
|
10,000
|
600
|
100%
|
100%
|
na
|
na
|
na
|
|
Netherlands (1)
|
94,923
|
30489
|
80%
|
83%
|
34,980
|
62%
|
38%
|
|
Poland
|
577,790
|
875600
|
90%
|
85%
|
1608
|
95%
|
5%
|
|
Portugal
|
125,980
|
76101
|
na
|
na
|
129
|
na
|
na
|
|
Romania
|
177,127
|
272724
|
82%
|
11%
|
497
|
97%
|
3%
|
|
Slovakia
|
71,710
|
98980
|
na
|
na
|
140
|
90%
|
10%
|
|
Slovenia
|
19,000
|
30000
|
65%
|
80%
|
90
|
15%
|
85%
|
|
Spain
|
447,000
|
202000
|
86%
|
86%
|
1700
|
na
|
na
|
|
Sweden
|
293,483
|
84175
|
77%
|
92%
|
500
|
57%
|
43%
|
|
UK (1) (3)
|
1397,400
|
442000
|
91%
|
94%
|
2000
|
86%
|
14%
|
|
Total EU
|
11583,757
|
4493256
|
82%
|
82%
|
19905
|
70%
|
30%
|
|
Croatia
|
80,783
|
7670
|
60%
|
95%
|
60
|
85%
|
15%
|
|
Norway
|
91,492
|
81000
|
85%
|
10%
|
65
|
85%
|
15%
|
|
Russia
|
2465,655
|
4403104
|
91%
|
65%
|
5853
|
82%
|
18%
|
|
Switzerland
|
334,545
|
10151
|
53%
|
60%
|
na
|
na
|
na
|
|
Turkey
|
387,935
|
680656
|
90%
|
na
|
745
|
98%
|
2%
|
|
Ukraine
|
421,760
|
1352778
|
87%
|
na
|
na
|
na
|
na
|
|
Total
|
15365,927
|
11028615
|
87%
|
73%
|
26628
|
73%
|
27%
|
 |
|
(*) Home improvement products, gas, electricity & telecoms, financial products, etc |
|
©Seldia/WFDSA (2011) |
 |
Global Statistics
Statistics WFDSA
> Download PDF
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|
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|
© Seldia/WFDSA (2011) |
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