Worldwide shipping firms will no doubt be pleased to hear that a new survey suggests UK consumers are spending as much as they did before the recession.

Visa Europe's latest Expenditure Index shows that spending on plastic was up by over ten per cent in the second quarter of 2010 compared to the same period last year.

The survey looks at spending carried out on cards, such as online purchases made by people using worldwide shipping and courier services to have their packages delivered.

Visa is convinced the results are a good indicator of wider consumer confidence, as one in every four pounds spent in the UK is on a Visa card.

The index found expenditure on the 91 million different Visa debit, credit and prepaid cards in the UK rose to £82 billion in the second quarter of 2010.

Commercial director of Visa Europe Dr Steve Perry commented: "That total consumer expenditure has returned to pre-recession levels so quickly is very positive news for the economy."

The credit card firm has just made its new CodeSure card that can be used to pay for goods and worldwide shipping services commercially available.