Behind the scenes
Half of Europe’s shoppers make secret purchases
by Alex Hämmerli
Switzerland less sold on instalment payments than other European countries
2.4.2026
Translation: Katherine Martin
Fifty per cent of customers in Europe pay for purchases in instalments or use pay-later services. In Switzerland, 25 per cent of consumers do so, mostly choosing instalment payments when buying cars, motorbikes, electronics, furniture and fittings. According to a representative survey commissioned by Galaxus on the topic, Switzerland’s consumers are the most likely to see these payment plans as a source of psychological stress.
Marco’s already mounted his TV on the wall by the time the first instalment payment leaves his bank account. For him, this is simply convenient – and he’s not alone in thinking so. With Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL), more and more people are choosing to delay paying for their purchases, even when buying low-ticket items. During a representative survey recently carried out by market researcher YouGov on behalf of online retailer Galaxus, around half of the 2,663 respondents aged 15–79 in Germany, Austria, France and Italy said they used instalment payments and pay-later services. In Switzerland, however, only a quarter of respondents said they delayed paying for products and services they purchase.
Europeans choose instalment payments for multiple purchases per year
In all five countries surveyed, most consumers who said they used pay-later services reported paying for several purchases per year by invoice or instalments. In Germany and France, 40 per cent of pay-later users fall into this category, with the figure falling to 30 per cent in Switzerland. However, some consumers even choose the instalment payment option on a monthly or weekly basis. In Germany, 20 per cent of pay-later service users report delaying paying for purchases every month. Ten per cent even do so weekly. In Austria, a third of respondents who said they used pay-later services stated they did so every month. Switzerland’s consumers are the least likely to pay for their purchases in instalments, with 40 per cent of respondents stating they used BNPL solutions once a year or less.
Consumers in Swizerland are the most likely to report that instalment payments take a toll on their mental health. Twenty-three per cent of respondents in the country stated making regular instalment payments strongly or very strongly impacted their mental health.
Why do people use pay-later services?
For most people, delaying payments comes down to financial planning. «I can easily incorporate the payments into my monthly budget» was the most common answer in every country. However, convenience and the psychological impact of BNPL also play a part in the decision to use the service. Around 25 per cent of pay-later service users across Europe see paying in instalments as more convenient. Meanwhile, a sixth of respondents said instalment payments made products seem less expensive.
For 20 per cent of customers, the reason is simply, «I wouldn’t be able to afford the product/service otherwise». In France, as many as a third of BNPL users say this is the case.
In the EU, most people pay for gadgets in instalments
In the EU countries surveyed, most people who pay in instalments do so when buying electronics. This is the case for 50 per cent of respondents in Germany, 54 per cent in Italy and 44 per cent in France. Switzerland was the only country in the study to cite cars and motorbikes as a more typical instalment-based purchase than electronics. This might be because electronics are relatively cheap in Switzerland.
In Germany and Austria, a quarter of respondents reported paying for clothing in instalments – a significantly higher figure than in the other countries surveyed. In France and Italy, 40 per cent of respondents said they paid for household appliances in instalments. That’s almost twice as high as the figure reported in Switzerland and Germany, for example.
In the European Union, BNPL services are mostly used for products costing more than 250 euros – the most common response in all EU countries surveyed. Again, Switzerland’s the outlier in the study, with 1,000 francs proving to be the country’s most common BNPL threshold.
In the end, it always comes down to the same basic question. When is it worth buying now and paying later? As for Marco, his TV’s still going strong. And his invoices are too.
Header image: Christian Walker
Daniel Borchers
Senior Communications Manager
Daniel.Borchers@galaxus.deA soft spot for good series, loud music, science fiction and (second division) football. As PR Manager, I am available to answer journalists' questions about Galaxus and honest e-commerce.
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