According to research analyst Mintel, 45% of consumers fail to see the benefit of online shopping and 56% said they had never shopped online for food.
One in three said they shopped online however just over 10% of respondents said they did so on a regular basis. Online shopping is least popular with the over-55s with 55% of them opposed to it and preferring to top-up shop.
Online grocery sales have risen by 134% since 2005, fuelled by the growth of broadband and retailers' ability to deliver over a wider area. Now online retailers face a challenge to sustain these increases.
According to Mintel, many consumers prefer to shop in-store as they believe retailers will deliver food that is close to its sell-by date. Additionally 83% like to examine fresh food before they buy.
Kiti Soininen, Mintel senior research analyst, said: "One in five consumers has tried online shopping for food, but has been put off by it being cumbersome or time-consuming.
"Improving site usability by making browsing and searching easier and enabling greater personalisation could be key in combating this.
"However, it is the delivery charge and need for top-up shopping in-store which seems to put off occasional users.
"Targeting these areas could help increase the frequency of online purchases for them and drive future growth."