Survey: U.K. online grocery shopping to nearly double in five years

London -- A Monday report by Bloomberg said that U.K. online grocery sales are expected to nearly double in the next five years, as more shoppers use mobile phones and the internet to buy food.



According to a survey conducted by the Institute of Grocery Distribution and released by Bloomberg, online purchases will surge to $17.6 billion in 2016 from $9.2 billion this year.



According to the industry group, which polled 170 food and grocery manufacturers, U.K. grocers are building more advanced websites and smart-phone applications to tap shopper demand for home deliveries.



More than four in 10 adults plan to shop online for groceries in the next five to 10 years, compared with 17% doing so now, the group said.