E-retail is now responsible for providing more than 600,000 jobs across the UK, according to new research.

The survey from global industry body IMRG shows that around 150,000 retail businesses now specialise in operating online.

The study also found that online commerce is now an important aspect of the British labour market and a growing part of the country's economy.

IMRG cite that their research shows e-retail helps to lower the everyday cost of living as well as boosting new exports.

A fast growing industry, 83 per cent of the online retail businesses surveyed had begun trading after January 1st 2000.

2010 saw 3 per cent of online companies begin business exchanges.

The companies questioned said that on average, they employ six times as many staff, as when they started trading.