Brits spend £200 a month to purchases online

They expend on average £192 a month – even though 1.2 million people spend more than £1,000 a month online on their credit cards, according the study from Sainsbury’s Finance.

Stuart McKeggie, head of cards at Sainsbury’s Finance, said: “The growth of online shopping in such a short time is staggering. Our research found that only 7% of credit card holders do not use their cards online.

Those who put the most online costs on their credit cards are aged between 35 and 44; with a typical monthly online spend of £214 on childrens bike or on the ski goggles and ski helmets.

It is followed by those aged between 45 and 54, who put an average of £207 of online spend on their credit card each month, on coats and jackets and snug boots while 18 to 24 year-olds spend least online on credit cards averaging £162.60 per month, on footwear like Globe trainers, mountain bikes, ed hardy, and converse trainers around £30 less than the national average.

Online credit card spending habits vary drastically between locations with those in the South East spending the most online with a credit card, an average of £236 per month, more than double the typical monthly online credit card spend in Scotland at £115.9.

The research suggested 5.9 million credit cardholders started shopping online in the past three years.

Retail sales in central London higher than last year

Latest figures from the British Retail Shop Consortium (BRCS) show that retail sales in central London in March were 9.9% higher on a like-for-like basis than a year ago, when sales had risen 5.2%. Good Friday and Easter Saturday falling in the March trading period this year but in April 2009 boosted the year-on-year comparison.

The BRC said retail footfall in March rose above its year-earlier level for the first time since October 2009. The earlier Easter holiday and several mid-season sales and promotions attracted shoppers into the capital. Sterling’s weakness also continued to attract overseas visitors. London was also a popular destination for Europeans over the Easter holiday. Chinese visitors remained more numerous than a year ago.

The BRC said that Easter purchasing falling in March this year but April last year boosted food sales. Non-food like bicycle also benefited, though consumer caution and unseasonable weather limited the gains.