Nine in 10 shoppers will continue to do the bulk of their shopping online – including buying cars – even after lockdown.

The study of 2,000 adults, commissioned by Vauxhall Motors, found almost half find shopping online far less stressful and 28% prefer not feeling pressured to make a purchase.

One in 10 respondents had even happily bought a car via the internet without even so much as a test drive or viewing, with a further fifth willing to do so when the time comes.

“There can be a lot of misconceptions around making bigger purchases online, but we are seeing that it’s becoming a much more normalised way of shopping,” said James Taylor of Vauxhall.

He added: “Making expensive purchases, doesn’t have to be nerve racking. The worst that can happen with an expensive online purchase is that you don’t like it – but just as with a pair of jeans you buy online, grace periods, returns and refunds are perfectly common.

“At Vauxhall for example, we offer a 14 day money back guarantee at our online showroom so customers have further peace of mind in buying their new car online.”

Researchers found Brits are happy to consider purchasing a vehicle online without seeing it in person first if it is from a trusted car brand, if there are deals that differ from in-store, and if it is available on a user-friendly website.

And 25–34-year-olds are the most likely to shop online, with a third of over-55s also saying the same.

Those aged 45-54 buy the most clothes online – although people aged 25-34 buy the most shoes without trying them on.

Over-55s, interestingly, are most likely to book a holiday online, rather than going into a travel agent for more personal detail.