Internet sales £200m a day

Consumers will spend £200m a day on the internet in the lead up to Christmas, according to forecasts by Deloitte.

The research predicts the total Christmas spend will hit £4bn - some 50% higher than last year - and suggests that more business will move online next year.

"We expect 2008 to deliver double digit growth in terms of internet retailing," said Tarlok Teji, head of retail at Deloitte. "The number of people shopping online and the number of retailers with online stores are increasing quickly."

The strongest sales would be seen in the grocery and clothing sectors, he added, although concerns over internet security remained a barrier for some consumers.