Slower growth in Europe's online advertising revenue and a greater focus on cash conservation could see many Web portals forced onto slimming diets this year.

Online advertising in Europe amounted to somewhere between €650 million ($612 million) and €950 million $894.5 million) last year, about 100 per cent more than the previous year.

But analysts believe that online advertising revenue will slow to about 20 per cent this year, after doubling in 2000. This should prove food for thought for Europe's dot.com generation who are already close to the breadline.