UK plc racks up £18.4bn in online sales

NEWS UK businesses racked up a total of £18.4bn in online sales during 2001, a massive 62 per cent increase on the previous year, according to statistics out today from the Office of National Statistics (ONS). The wholesale/retail/catering/travel/telecommunications sector represented the largest share, accounting for £11.7bn. The second largest was the manufacturing/electricity, gas and water supply/construction sector, with £4.5bn, or 24 per cent of total online sales. This equates to a 13 per cent increase on 2000. In 2001, online sales to households by UK businesses were similarly dominated by wholesale/retail/catering/travel/telecommunications organisations. In this sector, £5.3bn, or 80 per cent, of online sales were to households. The same sector also led the way in the B2B space, with £6.4bn, or 54 per cent of the total, being generated by business orders. The ONS figures exclude the financial sector.