The figures come from Forrester Research which says the growth will be driven by more affluent on-line shoppers, an e-commerce push by traditional retailers, and the aggressive promotion of on-line stores.
Commenting on the expected distribution of the predicted on-line holiday sales across countries and industries, Hellen Omwando, Consumer Markets Analyst at Forrester Research, said:
"The UK will continue to lead the charge in on-line holiday sales, but Germany and Southern European countries will steal some of its share. Leisure travel will remain the largest money-spinner, followed closely by apparel."
Last year, the UK contributed 36% of total on-line holiday sales in Europe. This year, with the highest penetration of on-line shoppers in Europe, the UK will generate €4.2 billion (£3 billion) in on-line holiday sales — a third of all on-line sales in Europe.
As the largest revenue generator in on-line retail, travel will still bring in the most on-line holiday sales, with 21% of the total till. Apparel, with 17% of total on-line holiday sales, will take second place.
