Catalogue firm Argos has retained its place as the UK’s biggest furniture retailer in 2007, according to research today.

Online retail spending soared by a third to hit a record £10.9bn (€16bn) in the UK last year, a report out today says.

The increasing importance of e-commerce was shown today as figures revealed the value of internet sales by UK companies soared by 56% last year to £103bn (€153bn).