UK online sales soar despite crunch

Online retail sales in Britain rose by 11.3 percent in July compared to the month before as wet weather boosted online clothing sales. Electrical sales also soared, a report said yesterday.

The IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index showed Britons spent more than 4.8 billion pounds (US$8.93 billion) online in July, the equivalent of 79 pounds for every person in the United Kingdom.

The survey showed shoppers continued to shop online despite pressures on disposable income. The figures were in sharp contrast to recent data from the British Retail Consortium, showing high-street sales in July were down 0.9 percent on June.

"Gloomy market conditions have not dampened consumers' appetite for shopping online. Online sales continue to show strong growth," said Mike Petevinos, Head of Consulting for Retail at Capgemini UK.

Clothing sales increased by 23 percent during the month. However, alcohol sales showed slower year-on-year growth with less barbecue-related demand.

The electrical sector experienced its highest growth this year, boosted by demand for the new Apple iPhone 3G and flat-screen televisions ahead of the Olympics.