IMN Content - Lifestyle and Consumer Content

How Far Do You Travel To Shop?

A typical British shopper covers 718 miles a year in person, squeezing in 81 actual shopping trips. In contrast, the same typical shopper makes 22 online shopping trips a year.
Fashion & Retail, Lifestyle - 21 April 2011   Download IconContent available for download:  
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  News Hooks:

A new survey has found that the typical British shopper would clock up nearly 7,000 miles if they were to travel to pick up and pay for all of their purchases in person. However, more than one in five of shopping trips is now made online meaning that the average shopper actually only covers 718 miles a year in person, across 81 actual shopping trips including 35 visits to the supermarket, 20 trips to the newsagent and nine wardrobe refresh missions.

The same typical shopper makes 22 online shopping trips a year, and the study estimates they would need to travel a total of 6,111 miles a year, in round trips to retailers nearest distribution centres, to pay for their items in person. Our virtual trips include an average three annual check-outs at an online food store, and seven online purchases of books and music.

A third (32%) of Brits prefer to shop online. Online shopping is most popular among 20-somethings (45%), and is at its lowest among over-70s, where a still impressive one in five favour the virtual high street to the real thing.

. Introduction:

A new survey has revealed that the typical British shopper would have to travel nearly 7,000 miles a year to pick up and pay for all of their purchases in person. However, with more than one in five of our shopping trips now clocked up online we actually only cover just over 700 miles, finding time for 81 actual shopping trips.

So, do we have a new generation of lazy shoppers on our hands or are more of us simply more comfortable with buying and paying for our goods online?

Joining us in the studio to discuss this further is Marc Bowerman, from the Pay YOUR Way campaign.

. Suggested Questions:

What can you tell us about the shopping habits of people in our area?

What is the Pay YOUR Way Campaign?

Why do you think more of us are now comfortable buying and paying for goods online?

What different modern payment methods are now available?

What should people look for to know that they are paying for goods securely online?

What would you say to those listeners still wary of shopping on the internet?

Where can our listeners find out more information?