Shoppers are expected to spend £2.9bn through mobile devices on UK retail sites this December, according to new data from IMRG and Capgemini. This is exactly double the £1.45bn spent over the same period in 2012. This follows a year of consistently strong growth for mobile, with sales through the channel currently accounting for 27 per cent of online retail sales and 38 cent of retail site visits.

For the first time, this Christmas IMRG and Capgemini are now able to report on how the sales will be distributed over device types.The split is currently running at 80/20 between tablets and smartphones, which means that the forecast spend by device is £2.3bn and £600m respectively.

“If we thought that the first decade of the 21st century had turned the world of retail upside down, the second decade is likely to feel that we are inside a tumble dryer,” said Chris Webster, VP and head of retail consulting and technology at Capgemini. “The growth of mRetail, driven first by tablet devices but now increasingly by smartphones, is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to mobile adoption. The use of smartphones to deliver truly personal, relevant customer experiences which reflect the location and context of what we, the customers, are doing will completely change how we interact with retailers. We had better hang on to our smartphones as it is going to be a bumpy ride.”