Grocery websites drive UK online sales growth
Sophisticated web offerings from the UK’s grocery retailers are driving the growth of internet retailing in this country, making it the fastest growing online market in Europe, according to a new report from Mintel.
The report found UK online sales were worth euro 18.5bn (GBP 12.8bn) last year, compared with just euro 13bn in Germany, the next largest market.
And the UK was also the fastest growing market with sales up by 75% since 2005.
“The UK has by far and away the most developed online market in Europe,” said Richard Perks, director of retail research at Mintel.
“The main reason for this is the sophisticated online offering of the UK’s food retailers and the fact that so many of us now more than happy to turn to the internet to do our weekly shop.”
Tesco is the largest online food retailer in Europe, says Mintel, with www.tesco.com more than twice the size of its nearest rival (www.ooshop.fr) run by Carrefour.
Meanwhile, the latest figures from IMRG Capgemini showed a record GBP 4.3bn was spent online during February 2008.
Beers, wines and spirits saw a rise of 38%, perhaps in anticipation of the higher alcohol taxes announced in March’s Budget.
Sophisticated web offerings from the UK’s grocery retailers are driving the growth of internet retailing in this country, making it the fastest growing online market in Europe, according to a new report from Mintel.
The report found UK online sales were worth euro 18.5bn (GBP 12.8bn) last year, compared with just euro 13bn in Germany, the next largest market.
And the UK was also the fastest growing market with sales up by 75% since 2005.
“The UK has by far and away the most developed online market in Europe,” said Richard Perks, director of retail research at Mintel.
“The main reason for this is the sophisticated online offering of the UK’s food retailers and the fact that so many of us now more than happy to turn to the internet to do our weekly shop.”
Tesco is the largest online food retailer in Europe, says Mintel, with www.tesco.com more than twice the size of its nearest rival (www.ooshop.fr) run by Carrefour.
Meanwhile, the latest figures from IMRG Capgemini showed a record GBP 4.3bn was spent online during February 2008.
Beers, wines and spirits saw a rise of 38%, perhaps in anticipation of the higher alcohol taxes announced in March’s Budget.
