THREE quarters of Britons now turn to the internet to do their shopping, according to figures which show how the digital economy is transforming the way we go about our daily lives.

Around 38 million adults, equating to 76 per cent of the population, go online every day, which is more than double the number of people who did so when comparable research started in 2006 as well as two million more people than last year, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Its figures chart the growth of the internet as a part of our daily routines, as it is increasingly used for everything from catching up with the latest news, to watching films and playing games, checking bank balances and transferring money, booking a holiday and shopping around for the best deals as well as socialising.

Some 74 per cent of Britons shop online, up from just over half (53 per cent) in 2008, with clothing and sports goods found to be the most common purchases, followed by household goods such as furniture and toys, travel arrangements such as train tickets and car hire, booking hotel rooms and tickets for events.

The ONS said the use of the internet as a "market place", alongside advances in technology, has changed the habits of consumers and firms, with people living in the UK and Denmark being the most likely in the EU to make online purchases.

It comes after research by Ofcom showed that Scots are taking up smart technology faster than any other part of the UK and increasing their internet and tablet use. Eight out of 10 homes in Scotland now have internet access and broadband use, despite previously lagging behind the rest of the UK.