Online consumer expenditure grew at a slower rate throughout September this year, dropping down to 14.8 percent, according to data from the IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index. Online shopping is still popular, but it rose at a rate that is 72.3 percent slower than that in September 2007, New Media Age reported Thursday.

Since July, online consumer spending has been growing at a rate that is below 20 percent.

In September the figure amounted to £4.8 billion, as Web users bought 23.6 percent more clothes and 7 percent more gifts, possibly for Christmas.

Capgemini UK Consulting Head for Retail Mike Petevinos said that retailers might look to the Internet to see surging sales, current economic difficulties might cause for online consumers to hold back, according to New Media Age.