LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - in fact, the U.K. has overtaken tech-savvy Japan in mobile Internet use, according to figures from media regulator Ofcom. The regulator compared data from 17 of the world's most developed nations.

A report released today shows U.K. consumers download a record 424 megabytes of data each every month, an astonishing 60 percent jump from 2011.

The reason is the growing popularity of Facebook and Twitter. A total of 40 percent of U.K. adults check their profiles on their phones, rising to 62 percent among 18-24-year-olds.

Internet TV is also popular in the U.K. as well. There has been a spike in the use of on-demand TV services such as BBC iPlayer and Channel 4's 4OD. It's estimated that a quarter of all Brits now use them to watch their favorite shows every week, well ahead of the United States, who is in second place. 

It must be noted that the total time spent online by the typical U.K. user has dropped from 746 minutes a week in the last report to 728 minutes. Australia dominates in sheer volume of hours on the net, with 992 minutes a week.

More importantly, Britain remains the world's foremost Internet shopper. An average consumer spends more than £1,000-a-year on the Web. Internet shopping is now more popular in the U.K. than any other major country in the world.

The average Briton spent £1,083 purchasing products online last year, up 14 percent in 2010 and up 46 percent on 2007 figures.

The closest other "big spenders" were Australians, who spend £842 per head each year, and the Swedish, who spend £747 annually.

The British are among the most likely to make internet purchases from their mobile phones. A total of 23 percent have visited a retail Web site on the move, narrowly ahead of Germany on 22.6 percent.

Is there a fly in the ointment to go with all this increased online shopping? Contrary to what some consumers believe, a recent investigation by the Daily Mail newspaper found that Christmas shoppers may be paying too much buying presents online.

Prices fluctuate by as much as 10 percent each day. The figures show that instead of prices being fixed unless there is a sale, as many assume, they can vary by the hour as retailers try to ensure they are the cheapest.

This suggests that getting the best price when shopping online is a matter of luck. Customers could end up paying a lot more if they buy at the wrong time.

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