Survey finds more than half of online shoppers keep some purchases secret

A new survey has found that many online shoppers like to keep their purchases a secret.

The study, conducted by Retail Active, found that 58 percent of the 3,500 online shoppers surveyed had made a purchase over the last six months they’d kept secret from their partners, families, spouses or friends.

The survey found that 40 percent of buyers had bought personal indulgences. These items included purchases such as lingerie, DVDs and perfumes - which are inconspicuous in size and can easily fit in a letter box, and wouldn’t need to be signed for or left with neighbours.

Of those who admitted to making secret purchases, 78 percent were between the ages of 35 and 41.

"Buying online is something buyers largely do in private - away from their partners - with all the temptations to indulge in their secret passions," a Retail Active spokesperson said. "The purchases may not always be risque. They could be a surprise gift, a silly gadget, or an outrageously expensive item your partner would kill you for buying."

More than 50 percent of adults in the UK now shop online, according to Internet Retailing Magazine. In the last two years, 3.7 million UK adults became online shoppers - not all in private.