The first lockdown in the UK brought a surge in online entrepreneurs, with nearly 16,000 ecommerce businesses created between March and July this year.
Research published by the Royal Mail said 315,000 companies were incorporated in the UK during lockdown, up 7 per cent from the same period in 2019.
In the second quarter of 2020, from April to June, 176,000 start-ups were recorded, the highest for any second quarter on record.
READ MORE: Royal Mail to create 33,000 Christmas temp jobs amid surge for online shopping this winter
The Royal Mail’s data suggests that the backdrop of a pandemic and ensuing lockdowns prompted a spike in entrepreneurial activity.
The highest rate of new business creation was found to be within ecommerce, reflecting the fast-changing pace of consumer behaviour in the UK during 2020.
With a second lockdown for England now due to start on Thursday November 5, many ecommerce start-ups will be put to the test this peak trading period as the UK enters a Christmas shopping season with non-essential retailers forced to close.
“It is very promising to see this level of new business creation. The narrative for businesses during and post lockdown is not one purely of survival, but also of resilience, resurgence, and growth,” Royal Mail chief commercial officer Nick Landon said.
“The e-commerce sector has seen huge growth this year and at Royal Mail we understand the importance of our parcel services in keeping the UK connected – particularly during such unprecedented times,” Landon added.
Click here to sign up to Charged free daily email newsletter
