June 05, 2007: UK online sales tripled from 2002 to 2006, and grew nearly 13 times faster than the overall retail sector in 2006. UK online shoppers outspend even American consumers. eMarketer estimates the average UK spend in 2006 was $2,171, compared with $1,831 in the United States.
UK retail e-commerce sales are estimated to reach $51.8 billion (£28.1 billion) in 2011, up from $21.6 billion (£10.9 billion) in 2006, according to Verdict Research.
Verdict said online shopping has grown because broadband Internet access is now widely available in the UK at low cost. Major retailers have also made large investments in transactional Web sites.
Interactive Media in Retail Group (IMRG) also noted the rise in UK online spending. Looking at B2C e-commerce overall, the firm counted travel as the biggest online sector, followed by electronic products and apparel.
eMarketer’s own projections for B2C e-commerce made in September 2006 included travel, event tickets and digital downloads, and estimated a total of $104.4 billion in 2010. Growth in online travel spending accounts for much of the difference from the Verdict numbers.
