A SURGE in shopping using tablets and smartphones is expected over the next five years, a new survey predicts.

Yorkshire consumers are set to increase spending using such devices by 224 per cent over the period from £768 million to £2.5 billion, according to Barclays.

Debbie Mullen, regional head of Barclays Corporate Banking, said: “The size of the retail opportunity is clear for all to see.

“The question every Yorkshire retailer should be asking themselves is what they are doing about it to not only satisfy today’s consumer but also tomorrow’s.

“Yorkshire retailers must cater for the mobile consumer in order to remain relevant.”

The number of tablet users has doubled in each of the past two years, with almost half of adults now owning one, while smartphone penetration has rocketed since 2007 following the launch on the first iPhone.

In 2009, 14 per cent of consumers owned a smartphone and this number had more than quadrupled to 61 per cent last year.

As a result of the growth in gadgets, 46 per cent of retailers said that at least some of their sales are generated through a mobile device.

Debbie Mullen added: “While it may be premature to sound the death knell for desktops and laptops, nearly half of consumers claim to be shopping far less on these devices thanks to mobile.

“There is also a lingering notion that mobile shopping is bad for store retailing.

“The physical high street store still has a fundamental role to play and the development of hybrids such as click and collect has conclusively demonstrated that stores can be supported rather than hindered by the growth of digital comm- erce.”