Electricals and clothing drive online spending spree
Consumers spent more online last month than in any previous January, according to new figures from industry body Interactive Media in Retail Group (IMRG). Strong sales of electrical goods and clothing saw internet sales jump to £4.5bn – a 75% increase on January last year.
IMRG says spending on electrical goods was up by 38% on January 2007, while clothing sales increased by 32%. It adds that the upturn was due to shoppers trying to avoid busy high streets.
The figures showed the beers, wines and spirits sector had grown by 9.8% year-on-year in January, while health and beauty product sales increased by 18%. However, January’s figures were still down on December’s £5.42bn.
Meanwhile, figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed retail sales also surged on the high street in January this year. The ONS says sales volumes rose by 0.8% between December 2007 and January 2008, fuelled by a series of price cuts in shops.
