The amount spent on smartphones in the UK – including all of retail, but not travel – grew 96 per cent year-on-year in Q1 2016, according to the latest IMRG Capgemini eRetail Sales Index report.

This far outstripped the growth of purchases made on tablets, up 11 per cent growth over the same period, and contributed to an overall 15 per cent growth in online sales. The average online basket value also rose from £77 in Q1 2015 to £81, following a general decline throughout 2015.

The growth in smartphone shopping was driven by an 50 per cent improvement in conversion rates, up to 2.4 per cent from 1.6 per cent a year earlier.

“Sales via smartphones continue to surge ahead, growing at nine times the rate of sales completed on tablet devices during the first quarter of the year” said IMRG chief information officer Tina Spooner. “There is no doubt that larger screen sizes have enhanced the user experience on smartphones over recent years which is a key factor in the shift towards shopping on these devices.”