IMRG, which tracks Internet spending, says online shopping increased by 35.4% in July compared with a year earlier, or from an estimated £1.47 billion in July 2005 to £2.33 billion in July 2006.

It also reckons there was a 2.2% fall in the number of people visiting bricks and mortar shops.

Spokesman James Roper told The Times:

"Internet shopping is now an extremely viable alternative to mainstream shopping because of the huge investment that has gone into expanding the products and services available."

And the British Retail Consortium (BRC) reckons that people who couldn't sleep during the hot weather may well have occupied themselves by flexing their plastic online.