A Third Of Shoppers Checking Prices Online Before They Go Food Shopping

Five times as many people are hunting for bargains online before they embark on supermarket shopping trips to discover which stores are offering the best deals.

Almost a third of shoppers, 30 per cent, are 'online cherry picking' in advance of journeys to the shops, up from 6 per cent in 2010. The portion rises to 41 per cent for 18-24 year olds, according to the survey from grocery industry body the IGD.

A third, 32 per cent, also said they would like to be alerted to deals when passing a grocery store.

When using technology, including searching on price comparison sites and looking for recipes online, 74 per cent said it saved time, 69 per cent said it saved money and 49 per cent said it allowed them to follow a healthier diet.

The IGD says it expects online grocery shopping to double from £6.5 billion now to £14.6 billion by 2018.

IGD chief executive Joanne Denney-Finch, said: 'Online retailing in food and consumer goods is growing at a phenomenal rate. Technology is empowering people, fundamentally changing the way they buy groceries.'

She added: 'Since the start of the recession, shoppers have become much more savvy, regularly hunting around for the best deals. These behaviours have now become much more established and an everyday norm for many shoppers. Technology is making it even easier for people to do this online, saving time before setting out on their journey.'