Ecommerce beats the high street as online accounts for 57% of spending

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Dec 7, 2018

The reported death of the UK high street could be near as new data reveals that the majority of spending now takes place online.

The research, carried out by Mastercard to examine customer habits across Europe, including the UK, has found that in-store spending has now declined to 43% of all UK spending - the lowest proportion in Europe.

Of the 57% of volumes spent online, 27% is done via mobile devices, cementing their popularity as the method of choice for many UK shoppers.

“Technology will have an increasingly important role in helping retailers woo shoppers back to the high street. The most successful stores are always gearing themselves around the overall shopping experience,” commented Janne Karppinen, head of retail at Mastercard UK.

“These shops are becoming places to interact and personalise products rather than simply a place to buy things. We expect to see this trend to grow as smaller retailers realise they can offer something the online world can’t.”

Clothing and accessories are the most popular categories amongst UK mobile shoppers, with 55% of those surveyed having bought one of these items using a smartphone or tablet. Food and drinks (45%), and beauty and healthcare items (37%) are also popular.