Weak pound lures eurozone shoppers to UK websites

Bargain-hunting euro zone shoppers are flocking to British retail Web sites to take advantage of the strength of the euro against the pound and seasonal clearance sales.

Online payments provider Moneybookers said on Wednesday it estimated that 30 percent of French, 29 percent of German and 22 percent of Polish internet shoppers are using British Web sites. It did not give a comparative figure.

"The lure of a great exchange rate and UK retailers slashing prices as part of their sales has proven too good an opportunity to miss for our continental neighbours," it said, adding that it had seen a "steady rise in (demand in) the run-up to Christmas".

Earlier on Wednesday, the pound hit a two-month low against the U.S. dollar.

Euro zone shoppers can save 48 pounds ($76.32) by buying personal music players like iPods on British Web sites and 62 pounds on an equivalent pair of designer sunglasses, Moneybookers said.

Shoppers across Europe are increasingly looking beyond Web sites in their own countries, it added.

Some 44 percent of European shoppers have bought items online from foreign stores, lead by 53 percent in Germany, 45 percent in Britain and 43 percent in France, it said.