The majority of mothers in the UK make use of mobile phones in order to research products and carry out safe shopping online, according to a new report from Sharethrough.

Seventy per cent of respondents said that they primarily turn to their smartphone when seeking out gifts for their friends and family members, especially in the run-up to Christmas. A similar proportion said that they even use their handset in order to plan out the items they will need to buy for the festive meal on December 25th.

Mobile is becoming the preferred retail platform for many busy mums because it allows them to benefit from shopping online, even if they have limited amounts of free time available.

Respondents also cited the diversity of choice and the inspiration they can draw from e-commerce sites as being at the core of their mobile shopping habits.

Eighty seven per cent said that their purchases were predominantly influenced by the product reviews they read, with professional pieces tending to be given slightly more weight than user reviews.

The study also found that the web is now far more powerful when it comes to determining which items and trends gather momentum in the UK than it was in the past, beating TV as a force for fuelling spending.

Report spokesperson, Ally Stuart, said that digital platforms are driving the habits of mothers in the UK and North America more than ever before, with mobile devices making it easier for them to research and make purchases even as part of a busy parenting schedule.

Stuart also said that mums were not fans of invasive ads and were, instead, more likely to be swayed by subtler approaches to marketing, with in-depth content tending to track better among this audience.