UK consumers lead mobile shopping

The UK is a nation of unapologetic mobile shoppers, with new research from Google revealing that Brits lead Europe in using smartphones to make purchases.

Google’s study reveals that 32% of Brits make a purchase every month on their mobile, considerably higher than Sweden (19%), Germany (15%), Italy (8%) and France (8%).

The study found that as UK smartphone usage increases year on year – rising by 6% to 68% in 2014 – the number of online consumers using the internet daily has also increased.

83% of UK consumers use the internet daily and 64% several times a day, compared with 75% and 57%, respectively, last year.

Likewise, the rise can be seen in online activity too, with the number of people purchasing on the internet rising from 72% to 77% over the last year, and watching online video content increasing from 61% to 66%.

Matt Brocklehurst, product marketing manager at Google, said that the results demonstrate why it is now “essential” for businesses to ensure their sites are mobile-ready.

“However, adapting or creating a website to work seamlessly across smartphones, tablets and desktops is a significant and ongoing undertaking,” he said.