The total number of transactions during the three-month period rose by 40% compared with the previous three months, with 31m transactions in total.
The rise in spending figures, as released by Visa EU, was more than just in the Christmas retail sector. The travel and entertainment industry led online sales in Europe, growing by 531% over the last quarter of 2002 compared with the same period in 2001. Within this sector, it was online bookings for hotels, airline tickets and tourist attractions that really grew, up 941%.
Retailers saw solid, although less spectacular, growth in online sales. The sale of electrical goods rose by 114%, while supermarket spending online was up by 58% for the quarter.
Hugo Bottelier, vice-president of Visa EU, said: "Our statistics prove that shopping online is continuing to grow in popularity, particularly in the peak season before Christmas. As well as sustained growth in sales, the e-commerce arena is becoming increasingly diverse with more and more sectors beginning to take advantage of the convenience and accessibility of the internet."
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