Online shopping behavior in the United Kingdom (UK) - statistics & facts

What are some of the habits of digital shoppers in the UK?

When asked what types of products consumers in the UK had bought online in the past year, apparel was by far the most common answer: roughly six in ten British digital shoppers had purchased at least one item of clothing in the past 12 months. While clothes and footwear were the most popular categories, shoppers liked buying several kinds of products, including electronics, food and drinks, cosmetics, furniture, and more. Before buying anything, however, more than half of UK consumers would do some research on the internet first. Many also found reading customer reviews very helpful. In fact, over 90 percent of consumers in the UK stated that they typically avoided buying from a business below a 4-star rating, making it vital for e-retailers to provide quality products and customer-friendly service.

The influence of a pandemic on shopping online

Given that the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has had a strong impact on the daily lives of individuals, it comes as no surprise that it also influenced their shopping behavior. When asked whether the crisis had caused them to buy more, less, or the same amount online, roughly 70 percent of British respondents stated that their online purchases had increased compared to before the pandemic. This increase in shopping online applied to several industries including the food retail sector. In fact, the share of food retail sales made online in Britain had doubled and remained relatively stable since the first lockdowns. In that vein, a considerable share of surveyed shoppers in the UK believed they would continue shopping for food and groceries online, even after COVID-19 subsides.

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