The latest figures from the IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index revealed that British shoppers spent an estimated £6 billion online in May, equating to a 13 per cent growth on the same time last year, and five per cent on April. This marks a return to growth in line with the last 12 months and matches the 13 per cent growth estimate for the full year.

May experienced the first proper taste of summer, with much of the UK basking in sunshine , resulting in a much welcomed boost for the clothing sector. The warm weather helped the clothing sector return year-on-year growth from its lowest ever level in April, to a much more respectable 11 per cent in May.

Clearly people were waiting for the sun to return after a wet April, before replenishing their summer wardrobes with the best online deals.

While the sunshine might have disappeared for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee weekend, the party spirit wasn’t dampened, with Brits rushing online to stock up on alcohol. The bank holiday at the beginning of the month and the long Jubilee weekend helped the alcohol sector grow a solid 12 per cent month-on-month.

The electrical sector continues to perform well, with demands of the latest gadgets, such as the new iPad, helping to maintain a 22 per cent year-on-year growth. This is in stark contrast to May last year, with the sector recording a meagre growth of just six per cent.

Year-on-year growth for pure play/catalogue retailers outperformed their multi-channel counterparts for the fifth consecutive month. Whilst those retailers with an online only presence saw a growth of 19 per cent, those with both an online and a high-street presence recorded just 10 per cent.

M-commerce was up 359 per cent year-on-year with mobile-based websites fast becoming the destination of choice for British shoppers on the go.

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