Smartphones dominate as the most common device used for online shopping in the UK in 2026, with heavy online users leading adoption at 69% — a striking 24-percentage-point gap above their own computer usage. Across all groups, the smartphone ranks first, confirming its position as the default online shopping tool for the majority of UK consumers.
The contrast between heavy and light online users is particularly telling. Heavy online users are notably less likely to shop via computer (21%) compared to light online users (42%) and non-users (40%), suggesting that greater online shopping frequency correlates strongly with mobile-first behaviour. Medium online users sit between these extremes at 57% smartphone and 35% computer, reflecting a more balanced but still mobile-leaning pattern.
Tablets account for a modest share across all groups, ranging from 7% among medium online users to 12% among non-users, while smart TVs and streaming devices register at just 0–1% universally. Neither device category presents a meaningful competitive challenge to smartphones or computers as primary shopping tools in the current UK market.
