The value of retail transactions in the UK that involve use of a mobile phone will reach £19.2 billion in ten years’ time, according to a survey by Barclays Corporate, part of the UK banking group. The 2011 figure for the value of  m-commerce in the UK is £1.35 billion, indicating that the activity will enjoy substantial growth over the next decade according to the bank’s predictions.  “The real value to be found in m-commerce is through its role as a multi-channel integrator and the indirect sales it generates by connecting physical stores with online,” according to Richard Lowe (pictured), Barclays Corporate’s head of retail & wholesale. 

M-commerce has grown rapidly over the last two years from £199 million in 2009 to this year’s figure of over £1 billion, according to the report. The growth is the result of growing smartphone and tablet take-up in the UK as well as the launch of innovative apps and a move by retailers to optimise their websites for mobile purchases.  However the proportion of UK shoppers that make a purchase directly via their mobile phones is still relatively low at 7.4 percent although the number who make use of their handsets at some stage in the purchasing process is much higher at 63 percent.

Of the £1.35 billion total figure for m-commerce in 201, the biggest contributor is grocery shopping which accounts for £293 million followed by electricals (£270 million), books (£191 million), music & video (£176 million) and clothing & footwear (£172 million) as the leading sectors.