UK to dominate European e-commerce

UK to dominate European e-commerce


British transactions will account for 40 per cent of the continent's online shopping in 2008

UK shoppers will account for at least 40 per cent of European online sales in 2008 as confidence in e-commerce continues to rise, according to research firm eMarketer.

Both the number of online customers and the average spend per head are rising. Online retail is more popular in the UK than anywhere else in western Europe.

The domestic take-up of internet connections is also set for further growth, with 70 per cent of UK households to have access by 2011. The installed base will rise to 38.1 million people or 62.6 per cent of the population in 2008, up from 36.8 million (60.5 per cent) last year.

On average, around 37 million people in the UK went online each month in 2007.