Shoppers set to head online
Published On 12 November 2007
People in the UK will increasingly choose to shop online rather than on the high street, according to the findings of new research.A report from uSwitch revealed that by 2020, internet shopping will account for 40 per cent of all retail sales - with a total worth of £162 billion.
The study indicated that the value of online purchasing will hit £40 billion this year and that households could save as much as £13 billion a year.
"Not only does shopping online save you time and money, but it can actually pay for itself," said Steve Weller from the price comparison site. "Each household can save £500 which pays for your annual broadband cost nearly three times over."
The report also found that 13.5 million consumers in the UK spend four days a year shopping online.
During the Christmas period, the figures forecast that this will rise to 27 million shoppers spending £14 billion on seasonal items.
Statistics from IMRG showed that last year, Britons spent £7.66 billion online in the run-up to Christmas 2006.
