Online sales in the UK hit £4 billion for the first time in July

Down to bad weather, better sites and gadget-lovers

20 August 2007 16:36 GMT / By Amy-Mae Elliott

Online sales figures for the UK have gone past £4 billion in one month for the first time ever.

According to the latest figures from IMRG, an industry body for etailing, this July's figures hit £4.2 billion, up a super-sized 80% from £2.34 billion in July last year.

The bed weather we've experienced in good old Blighty was thought to be one reason that sales were so high - with people either bored at home or not wanting to brave the high street in the rain.

Gadget-lovers probably won't be too surprised to note that electrical goods showed the biggest yearly increase - up 102 per cent from July last year. Clothing sales were the next biggest growth area.

IMRG chief executive James Roper also suggested the bigger figures could be down to improved retail web sites and faster domestic internet connections:

"July’s extraordinarily strong market growth spotlights the high level of consumer demand, but we still have nowhere near enough capacity to meet shoppers’ appetite for e-retail."

"With nearly half of homes yet to acquire broadband and massive potential for improvement available in every aspect of it, strong e-retail growth is set to continue for many years to come".