Knickers dropping as recession hits web retail

Online sales of lingerie have dropped by more than a quarter, according to a new research report.

Web sales of smalls decreased by 26 per cent between April 2008 and April 2009 as cash-strapped Brits cut back on buying new knickers online, the research found. The figures come in stark contrast to the same period the year before, when lingerie sales swelled by 73 per cent.

UK shoppers have spent an estimated £200bn online since 2000, the report by IMRG and Capgemini shows.

While electricals and beer, wine and spirits sales have shown strong growth in recent years, clothing has outperformed the retail market to become the fastest growing online sector last year - with sales rising by 1,990 per cent since February 2001.

However, as the economic downturn bites, the growth rate of online sales is slowing: between April 2008 and 2009, growth stood at 14 per cent year-on-year - compared to 30 per cent in 2007-2008 and 54 per cent in 2006-2007.

And, while fewer knickers may be being shipped in the current climate, e-retail continues to outperform bricks-and-mortar in terms of sales growth: between 2000 and 2009 web retail sales rose more than 5,000 per cent, according to IMRG and Capgemini. During the same period, high street sales recorded growth of just 21 per cent, the Office for National Statistics found.