Online shopping doubles in five years

More people are doing their shopping online, according to the EU Consumer Centre in Dublin.

The number of EU consumers buying goods and services online doubled to 40% in 2010 compared to 20% in 2005.

Consumers buy mainly clothes and travel-related goods and services online, while computers and electronic goods are the least likely things to be bought online.

The number of companies per EU state trading online is around 14% while the figure in Ireland is 11%.

Ann Neville of the EU Consumer Centre in Dublin said most Irish people shop online to purchase in another country.