Yahoo Finance UK Consumers Top Online Spending League
British consumers spent more online last year than any other country in Europe (Chicago Options: ^REURUSD - news) , a survey has found.
UK online sales topped £50bn in 2011, up 11% year-on-year, and accounted for almost a third of online spending in Europe, according to a study by the Centre for Retail Research (CRR).
On average, the CRR found British shoppers bought 39 items online in 2011, spending an average of £1,435.
The figures say that Internet shopping accounts for 12% of the total retail spend in the UK.
Online shopping search engine Kelkoo estimates the sector will grow by 14% in 2012.
Another survey, the IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index, found online sales in December were up 16.5% year-on-year, to £7.9bn.
:: The figures came as online fashion retailer ASOS (Other OTC: ASOMF.PK - news) reported a 46% rise in global retail sales.
The jump, which was recorded in the third quarter of 2011, was worth £46m to the company.
Its UK sales rose by 10% in the same period.
:: The British arm of children's clothing retailer Pumpkin Patch (NZSE: PPL.NZ - news) has appointed administrators to run its 36 stores.
Deloitte has closed five stores of the company's 36, making 60 staff redundant.
Pumpkin Patch employs another 340 people in the UK.
:: Bucking the high street trend, sales at Primark were up 16% in the 16 weeks to January 7, according to the latest data from parent company Associated British Foods (Dusseldorf: 719064.DU - news) .
The company said the the boost was down to a busy Christmas period, after a slower than usual start to the financial year.
Nine new shops were opened at the end of last year, bringing the number of Primark stores internationally to 232.
ABF, which also owns the Twinings and Ovaltine brands, warned that the ongoing eurozone debt crisis could affect its financial performance in 2012.
:: Luxury fashion brand Mulberry also reported strong Christmas trading, with like-for-like sales in the six weeks to January 14 up 35%.
That compares to a rise of 14% in the preceding 10 weeks.
Financial analysts Panmure described Mulberry's performance over the period as "extraordinary".
The company, known for its popular leather handbags priced around £500-£900, reported annual pre-tax profits of £15.6m in December.
:: Kesa Electricals (Other OTC: KESAF.PK - news) has said the sale of its loss-making Comet chain in the UK should be completed by February 3.
Like-for-like sales across the group, which includes Comet's European sister-brand Darty, were down 1.3% between November (Stuttgart: A0Z24E - news) and January.
At Comet, sales fell by 14.5% as the company suffered from poor performance during its traditional Boxing Day peak.
Kesa agreed to sell Comet to the Hailey Holdings group of companies for just £2 in November.
