Share economy gains ground in Brussels

Brussels residents are the most active participants in Belgium’s share economy, according to a survey conducted by the bank ING. The survey looked at consumer behaviours in 13 European countries, the USA and Australia. In Belgium, 1,030 people were surveyed, including about 100 Brussels residents, writes brusselnieuws.be.

Also known as collaborative consumption, the share economy is a movement that is gaining momentum around the world as a response to the global financial crisis and an attempt to fight over-consumption.

The average Brussels resident is more likely to take part in the share economy, the survey shows, with 16.1% reporting that they now and then offer payment in exchange for shared goods and services, compared with 8.5% of all Belgians.

The survey also reveals that Brussels residents are more likely to support flat- and ride-share providers like Airbnb and Uber.

While the concept of a share economy is still relatively unknown in Belgium (three-quarters of Belgians admitted they have never heard of it), the researchers found concrete examples of people sharing goods and services: an average of 8.5% of Belgians, and 16.1% of Brussels inhabitants. Most of the Brussels residents also indicated that they would do more sharing in the coming year.

"The city is home to a young and highly educated population of people who are generally more inclined to share goods," economist Anthony Baert of ING Belgium told brusselnieuws.be. This is also a group that tends to trust other people more readily, according to the study, so that they are much more inclined to share with others. “But they are also more likely to have a smartphone,” Baert points out, “which is required for many sharing apps.”