Some 64% of pensioners under the age of 75 say they use social media platforms such as Whatsapp, up from just 24% five years ago, national statistics office CBS said at the weekend.

Social media is also becoming more popular among older pensioners. Some 35% of the over-75s also use websites such as Facebook and Twitter, compared with just one in 20 in 2012, the CBS said.

This means some 85% of the over-12s in the Netherlands are now active on social media, the statistics agency said.

The over-65s are most likely to use the internet to find information about goods and services, followed by researching health issues and reading the news.