Latest research from Britain's Office for National Statistics shows online shopping is continuing to increase, with 2003 sales doubling those of the year before.
Sales in 2002 were recorded at £19 billion ($35.51bn; €27.18bn), which have since surged to £39.5 billion in 2003. And the upward trend has continued with sales on the most popular internet sites tripling in the last 10 months.
With even more people predicted to use online shopping this Christmas, many high street retailers have developed their own web sites to maximise sales potential and minimise loss to internet-based rivals.
The new findings show online shopping has increased in all sectors of the economy, substantiating an earlier survey in April which put Britons second only to the Danes.
Data sourced from BBC Online; additional content by WARC staff
