Online alcohol sales on the up

February’s online alcohol sales were up 37% on January, as shoppers stocked up ahead of this week’s expected duty increase.

According to the latest figures from the Interactive Media in Retail Group (IMRG), £4.9 billion – equivalent to £79 per person, was spent online in February; a year-on-year increase of 20%.

Contrary to recent reports that indicated the high street suffered its weakest sales growth for two years, British consumers spent £10bn online during January and February, far exceeding expectations.

Alcohol sales saw a massive increase in February, as UK consumers stockpiled ahead of the expected duty increase, which will be revealed in the Budget this week.

Chris Webster, head of retail consulting and technology at Capgemini, said: “February was a good month for online retail, up 20% on the same period last year.

“This increase is on the back of a very solid second half to 2010, and whilst some of the growth can be attributed to a weak start last year, nearly £5bn spent online is very significant and in stark contrast to the weak sales experienced by the traditional bricks and mortar retailers.”

Tina Spooner, director of information at IMRG, said: “The February Index results paint an optimistic picture for the e-retail market, especially when compared with the poor performance of traditional retail sales last month.

“The results are a clear indicator of how strong consumer confidence is in the online channel, even during a period in which high street spending is down.”

Lucy Shaw, 21.03.2011