Silver surfers still taking the bus to the shops

The over 50s are logging onto the web in increasing numbers, with 90 per cent using email to stay in touch with friends and relatives, according to a new survey. 43 per cent of respondents also complained about being bombarded with junk emails.

But less than 10 per cent are using the web to order their supplies of custard creams and sardines.

This is despite the famous advert from Tesco featuring Prunella Scales as an elderly lady, known familiarly as 'Dotty', ordering groceries on a home computer. A Tesco spokesman defended the stores' long-running ad targeting the more mature web users.

He claims Tesco has around 200,000 customers over 50. "It was true at the start that there were no elderly users, but those that shop for themselves are very comfortable with it. They also feel more comfortable shopping with an established brand like Tesco," he said.

The total includes children who use the web to order groceries for their elderly relatives, sometimes from as far afield as Canada and Mexico.

Tesco has been running a roadshow for around a year, sending a converted bus full of web-enabled PCs to Tesco stores across the nation, to introduce customers to the joys of online shopping.

The survey was conducted on behalf of Microsoft and Age Concern. 50 volunteers were interviewed by telephone.