Online retail hits all-time high

UK shoppers spent £15bn at web stores in the run up to Christmas

Shoppers are starting to prefer the web

UK shoppers spent £15.2bn online in the three months leading up to Christmas, a record figure for the industry.

Overall sales for the year totalled £46.6bn, a rise of 54 per cent on the £30.2bn spent in 2006, according to research from Capgemini and IMRG.

The growing success of internet retail is cutting into the sales of high street shops, according to Anthoula Madden, vice president of Capgemini UK’s consumer products and retail team.

"Online growth has proven robust and sustainable over the past year, increasing its share of UK retail from 10p in the pound to 15p," said Madden.

"Whilst we are yet to see high streets sales decline there can be no doubt online is growing its share at the expense of bricks and mortar retailers."