High gas prices, good deals or just a sign of the changing times? Whatever the reason, according to IMRG Capgemini, during the first six months of 2008 UK shoppers spent £26.5 billion online—a 38% increase over the first half of 2007.

That is nearly equivalent to one-half of all supermarket sales and larger than all retail sales of clothing and footwear for the same period.

"Increasingly when you talk to people, internet shopping is just their normal way of doing things and buying stuff," said Jo Evans of IMRG, in a statement.

"Shopping search is now so good that it reliably finds everything that's out there and available to buy," continued Ms. Evans. "Which is more than can be said for the hit and miss experience of trying to find stuff in a physical store."

By the end of the year, IMRG projects that online shopping will account for 20% of every pound spent by UK consumers.