Today’s dating pool is the widest it’s ever been, with people of all ages and nationalities making the most of apps like Bumble to meet potential partners rather than just settling for the boy or girl next door. 

But how exactly are Europe’s daters using the technology they can access at the touch of a smartphone? 

Bumble surveyed members of our community in the UK, Germany, Ireland, France, Spain, and the Netherlands to find out. Among the most interesting results:

• 61% of women are searching for a partner who shares their values, and Bumble is being used as a platform of expression for political leanings, personality types and astrological signs. 
• This is an era of ‘slow love,’ of marrying later and taking more time to find stability before settling down, with 95% of those surveyed believing a relationship is as much about their personal growth as it is supporting their partner.
• Women across Europe are dating different people for personal development, with 59% believing it’s okay to see multiple people at the same time in the early phases.
• The fluidity of dating habits varies by age group, with only 48% of Gen Z being exclusively heterosexual compared with 65% of millennials. 
• Germans are the most emoji-literate, with 91% using emojis when messaging someone they want to date.
• Daters are becoming increasingly comfortable discussing their sexual preferences with a partner. 90% of women in the Netherlands are happy to do so, and – perhaps surprisingly – it’s the French (70%) who are least comfortable sharing their wants. 
• The rise of individualism has not hampered the desire for a long-term partner, with 65% of respondents saying that they’re using apps to find a steady relationship. 
• In 2020, daters will let go of set rules about the time they should spend chatting before meeting, with only 10% of women wanting to chat for over a week before meeting face to face. 
• 58% of women surveyed acknowledge that dating apps – with the risk of rejection, frustration and heartbreak – have at one point had a negative impact on their mental health. 
• Break-ups come with their own stresses, and 50% of women in the UK have had to block their ex on social media for self-care. 
• 2020 daters are also likely to turn to technology to heal. Bumble’s Snooze option gives daters the opportunity to pause activity and hide their profile without losing any matches, so that they can take a break and focus on themselves. 
• Today’s daters are less concerned about the more traditional markers, with only 25% of our respondents saying they feel pressured to get married and settle down. 

Check out the full report below! Thanks to our research partners, Protein Agency.