Ofcom’s sixth International Communications Market report into the global communications market found that eight in ten UK internet users (79 per cent) said they had ordered goods or services online in 2010, higher than any other European country, with just 27 per cent of consumers in Italy claiming to have done so. UK internet users were also more likely to visit retail websites online than other countries, with nine in ten (89 per cent) claiming to do so in 2011.
As well as more UK consumers shopping online, they also spent more time on retail sites – an average of 84 minutes in January 2011, compared with around 20 minutes for consumers in Poland and Italy.
This research comes as the government's High Street and market review, headed up by Mary Portas, concluded on the best ways to save Britain's ailing marketplaces. With this increasing trend what will the future hold for Britain's town centres?
