UK online retail grew 11.7% year-on-year in Q2 2026, according to IMRG. Germany's ecommerce market grew 4.3% in H1 2026, according to HDE. For US brands evaluating which European markets to enter first, these are the two most consistent performers.

The UK and Germany are the first and third largest ecommerce markets in Europe, with the Netherlands typically rounding out the top three. Growth of 11.7% in the UK and 4.3% in Germany isn't exceptional relative to some earlier peaks, but both represent solid structural growth rather than recovery-driven spikes. Consumer spending on ecommerce in both markets is resilient.

For US brands with products that have demonstrated demand in their home market, the question of whether European customers want them is increasingly answered by data like this. The market is growing. The demand is there. The differentiator between brands that succeed in Europe and those that don't is usually the setup -- compliance, VAT, product labeling, and local fulfillment.

Expandly focuses specifically on the UK and Germany as primary expansion markets, alongside the Netherlands. The combination of regulatory complexity and consistent market growth is exactly the environment where structured, compliance-first expansion delivers the biggest advantage over DIY cross-border shipping.

The market growth numbers make the case for entering. The setup is what determines whether you keep what you earn there.