Worldwide shipping firms that deliver parcels for online retailers will be pleased to learn internet shopping is taking a bigger chunk of the market.

New figures from the Office for National Statistics, reveal that e-retail accounted for eight per cent of total retail sales in the UK.

The average weekly value of internet sales was £446 million in July, up from £397 million in June and also over a third higher than the weekly revenues in July 2009.

Not since December 2009, when Christmas shoppers were ordering presents online, was the sector worth so much.

The overall non-store sector, including mail order, telephone and online purchases, which all rely on parcel delivery firms, was up by 15.4 per cent in July.