Town tops internet shopping list

Wider access to broadband was a contributing factor

People in a Ross-shire town are Scotland's highest spenders on internet shopping, according to a survey.

A survey of home shopping habits suggested consumers in Dingwall spent an average of £81 per person, placing it 30th in the UK-wide list.

Credit analyst Experian named only four Scottish towns on its list of the UK's 100 highest-spending places. The others were Oban, Fort William and Crieff.

Sunningdale in Berkshire heads the UK table with an average spend of £137.42.

Average spending on home shopping per person for the other Scottish towns was £74 for Oban, £72 for Fort William and £64 for Crieff.

Experian said three factors were contributing to the home shopping trends.

They were the "flick to click" phenomenon where consumers browse catalogues and go online to make their purchases, shoppers in commuter belts wanting to avoid physically getting themselves to the shops, and the wider availability of broadband.

Experian said there was another factor it called the Tesco Effect, with the store offering products online.