A good value and efficient parcel delivery service will be in even greater demand than ever, if new figures from the British Retail Consortium are anything to go by.

The monthly BRC Retail Sales Monitor showed that while retail sales overall fell by 2.3 per cent compared to last year - internet, mail order and telephone sales rose by 15.9 per cent in April.

Director general of the BRC, Stephen Robertson, says :"Non-store sales are not immune to customer caution. Sales growth held up but retailers are having to work harder to maintain it."

Robertson added that at this difficult time retailers are embracing more promotions and discounts, and sending out more email marketing to alert potential shoppers.