Peter Bishop, the Director of International trade at the London Chamber of Commerce, is due to tell a London business seminar that by 2001, e-commerce will account for 5% of all worldwide sales.

Shopping on the Internet is likely to be given another boost in the UK on Tuesday with the expected announcement in the Queen's Speech of a bill to liberalise e-commerce.

Figures 'not fanciful'

Mr Bishop is due to say that several other factors also point to "an e-commerce explosion any time now".

Cheap personal computers, together with more companies offering home-shopping services on the Internet, will mean consumers in Britain will follow the American trend and buy via the computer, he will say.

Traditional shopping patterns are set for a shake-up

Mr Bishop will say: "It is estimated that by the year 2001 Internet business conducted between European companies will reach over £40 billion, whilst e-commerce sales are estimated to reach a staggering £20 trillion or 5% of global sales.

"These figures are not just fanciful.

"When we look at what has happened in the United States - usually a good indicator of what we can expect to happen here - it was estimated just last week that this year a staggering 43% of Americans with PCs will do at least some of their Christmas shopping by Internet, compared with only 10% last year.

"The e-commerce avalanche is on its way to the UK."

Rising consumer interest

The Internet has seen a surge in consumer interest since the launch of Dixon's Freeserve service, which provides free connection to the Net with call charges priced at the local rate.

BT followed shortly afterwards with its own similar Internet service, BT ClickPlus, which charges at 1p a minute over the normal cost of the call rate.