New research from analysts IGD predicts a big jump in online food sales in the UK over the next few years.
In the company's Online Shopping 2009 report, IGD forecasts that £7.2bn (€8.3bn) will be spent on food and grocery shopping online by 2014, almost double the amount for 2009.
As of 2009, according to the report, 13 per cent of adults had used an online shopping service for groceries, an increase of 63 per cent on 2006.
IGD's chief executive Joanne Denney-Finch commented: 'Our research shows there is a great opportunity for grocery retailers and manufacturers to encourage shoppers to try online food shopping.
'The future of grocery shopping is 'multi-channel', with people shopping in different ways and using various outlets - whether convenience stores, online or hypermarkets.'
According to the Office for National Statistics, 64 per cent of people have shopped online at some point, but only 13 per cent have bought food or groceries in the last year. Over 60 per cent of current and potential shoppers said that removing delivery charges would boost online grocery sales.
No comments yet