Fortnum & Mason is to take its famous Christmas hampers onto the net with a new website dedicated to the upmarket London food store.

The site, at www.fortnumandmason.com, launches this week and will feature over 400 Fortnum & Mason products as well as the trademark hampers.

The site, created by the branding consultancy Bamber Forsyth, also offers a gift list service that allows Christmas shoppers to create a list of recipients and have their gifts delivered to them.

Stuart Gates, managing director of Fortnum & Mason, said: "We wanted to maintain the quality of service for which we are renowned and if anything we have enhanced it to give online customers the complete Fortnum & Mason service.

"The service allows Fortnum & Mason to act as a local speciality store wherever the customer may be."

Fortnum & Mason offered a limited online shopping service last Christmas.

Bamber Forsyth's director of interactive media, Mark Wilson, said: "Last year the site was heavily used in the run-up to Christmas. This year customers will enjoy more choice, a streamlined shopping process and much better performance than last year."