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More Britons are purchasing goods and services online, as internet access increases, new official data has shown.

Figures released today by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that during the first part of this year almost 15 million households in Britain – or 61 per cent of the total – had access to the internet.

That represents a jump of just over one million households, or seven per cent, in the number of households who can now go online, compared to those who could do so in 2006.

An increase in the number of people accessing the internet has been accompanied by a rise in the number of consumers who purchase goods online, the ONS data shows.

The figures, based on the ONS' monthly omnibus survey, found that 53 per cent of adults questioned at the beginning of this year had bought goods and services over the internet. In comparison, just 44 per cent said they had in 2006.

Based on responses collected between January and March this year in England, Wales and Scotland, and in May for Northern Ireland, the figures also show that men are more likely than women to buy goods and services over the internet.

Films, music and DVDs are the most popular items to buy online. And over half (51 per cent) of people questioned at the start of 2007 said they had made such purchases over the previous 12 months.

Travel, accommodation and holidays are the next most popular types of online spending, with 46 per cent of people having splashed out on such purchases over the past year.

Of those questioned about their internet habits at the start of this year, 34 per cent of adults who had spent money online in the previous three months had shelled out less than £100. But over a fifth – 21 per cent – had forked out more than £500.

Meanwhile the ONS stats show that London and the south-west have the highest levels of internet access, with 69 per cent of households in both regions able to access information online.

Yorkshire and the Humber, the north-east and Northern Ireland have the lowest levels of internet access, with just 52 per cent of households in each region able to access the worldwide web.