Online grocery shopping in the UK has exploded since the COVID-19 crisis. Mintel reports it has increased by 36% as families try to stay safe indoors – in particular the elderly, those who’ve been asked to shield and households who are isolating. Here we look at the home delivery options for each supermarket, what they’re doing to make sure everyone gets what they need and how they're keeping customers safe in store.
At Tesco, NHS employees have a dedicated shopping hour from 9am to 10am on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, and vulnerable and elderly people from 9am to 10am on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. One person per household should do the shopping, however children are an exception. Some products have purchase limits such as toilet roll, pasta and hand sanitisers. If you can’t use your Clubcard Plus because you’re self-isolating, you can cancel your next subscription renewal. Reward Partner codes are also now valid for 12 months.
Delivery slots range from same day to three weeks, however they're booked quickly. Check back in case someone else cancels or wait for new ones to be released at midnight – you can reserve a slot and update it later. Delivery costs £2–£7, plus a £4 charge if you spend under £40. Tesco is not accepting new Delivery Saver customers. If you already have Delivery Saver, Tesco will refund the difference if you haven’t saved money.
Online shoppers are limited to 80 items and one delivery a week. All deliveries are made in bags to make the process speedier. Leave a note in the delivery instructions if you’re self-isolating so the driver is aware not to enter your home. If you’re vulnerable, disabled or elderly, the driver can still bring your shopping inside if you ask. Click+Collect is a good alternative to home delivery. Spend over £25 and there’s no charge, otherwise it’s £4.
To make sure the most at risk get their shopping done, Tesco has around 530,000 customers on its vulnerable list who can receive priority delivery slots. If you’re not on the list and can't safely shop in store, but can’t get hold of a delivery slot, phone Tesco and talk to someone who can help.
Most Sainsbury's store hours are now 8am to 10pm. Elderly and vulnerable customer shopping hours are 8am to 9am every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. NHS and social care worker hours are 7.30am to 8am, Monday to Saturday. Only one adult per household is allowed in store and there are purchase limits on items like UHT milk, pasta and tinned tomatoes. Customers are asked to pay by card (you can use cash at self-service tills) and there are no changes to Nectar cards. For Click & Collect, pick up at a designated point in the store car park.
The supermarket has increased its home delivery capacity so new customers can register. Slots are booked quickly but released regularly, so check back if you can’t see any available. Don’t add items to your basket until you're confirmed – you can amend your order up to the day before delivery. Households can book one delivery a week. If home delivery isn’t available, see if Click & Collect is.
Sainsbury’s is now only delivering to your front door and won’t take shopping bags inside (if you live in a flat, drivers will take them up the stairs). Delivery costs 50p–£9, with a minimum spend of £25, and is free for orders over £100. The supermarket is not accepting new applications for Sainsbury's Delivery Passes (where you pay an upfront fee, rather than per delivery).
A list of the most vulnerable people has been given to the supermarket by the government and they have priority access to the Sainsbury’s home delivery service. People can view slots online that are not displayed to regular customers. They can also place orders via a telephone ordering service. Alternatively, vulnerable customers can purchase a volunteer shopping card which is loaded with money for a friend to shop on their behalf.
ASDA has reduced its hours to 8am to 10pm Monday to Saturday, so it has time to clean and restock. In larger stores, NHS and carer hours are from 8am to 9am on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and 9am to 10am on Sunday. It’s restricting shoppers to one adult per trolley and is asking for card payments where possible. Scan&Go is also available (where you scan items as you go along). For collection orders, head to the pick-up point (it may be inside or outside).
The demand for online shopping is really high, so keep checking if no delivery slots are immediately available. ASDA is not accepting new Delivery Pass applications and if you haven’t saved money on your current one, it will refund the difference. Orders can be amended in the last three days, up until 10pm the night before delivery. Shopping will arrive in plastic bags and be left outside the door (or on your level in a block of flats). Delivery costs £1–£6.50, with a minimum spend of £40.
A great option for those in a pinch are ASDA's Food Boxes, delivered next day if ordered before 5pm. Inside you’ll find a selection of store cupboard staples such as tea, coffee, long-life milk, bread, pasta, sauces, tinned vegetables and cereal. It contains around 31 items for £30, including delivery, with enough to tide you over until you can make a trip to the shop or get a delivery spot.
ASDA has contacted current customers (with an ASDA account) deemed extremely vulnerable and with no one to assist them, according to a list provided by the government, to offer home delivery. It also has Volunteer Shopping Cards which people who are self-isolating or vulnerable can buy online, and email or print for someone to shop in store on their behalf.
Most Co-op stores now open from 7am to 8pm. Shopping hours for NHS workers, carers and vulnerable customers are from 8am to 9am, Monday to Saturday, and 10am to 11am on Sunday. Some items are restricted to two per person. Card and contactless payments are encouraged. Member offers have been temporarily paused. If you want someone to shop on your behalf, you can purchase and top-up a Community Shopping Card on the phone and it will be posted in two to three days.
Although the demand for home delivery is high, Co-op's one-hour delivery slots can be found as early as next day. If none are currently available, keep checking back. Customers are limited to 25 items in total. Delivery and collection is free, with a minimum spend of £15. For even more rapid delivery, you can find Co-op on Deliveroo.
The first opening hour at Waitrose is for elderly and vulnerable shoppers only. NHS staff and social workers have priority access to the store and checkout any time of day. Some shops have earlier closing hours to clean and restock. Waitrose asks only one member of a household do the shopping and pay cashless, contactless or with the QuickCheck App where possible. There are limits on some products but not fresh produce. The myWaitrose coffee stations are currently closed.
Online customers can see a week’s worth of delivery slots and new ones are released daily. There’s a temporary cap on a few products. Orders can be amended up to midday the day before delivery. Please only book one online delivery a week. Delivery is free with a minimum spend of £60. All deliveries arrive bagged and will be left on your doorstep.
Waitrose is prioritising vulnerable customers for home delivery and has got in touch with a list of people provided by the government. Those relying on friends and family to help with shopping can purchase an e-gift card which can be emailed. Vulnerable people can also order via Click & Collect, and get a friend or family member to pick up shopping. The volunteer will need to be over 18, have ID and the order confirmation number.
NHS staff get priority shopping at Morrisons from 6am to 7am, Monday to Saturday, and 9am to 9.30am on Sunday, but check individual stores. To make sure groceries are distributed fairly, there are temporary purchase limits on some products. Please pay with contactless payment where possible. Morrisons has introduced a Speedy Shopping lane to reduce queue and checkout times for those doing smaller basket-only shops. You can still use your Morrisons More card and there's a 10% discount for NHS customers.
Online delivery slots are hard to get but if you manage to secure one, you'll be required to finalise your order no later than 72 hours before it’s due to arrive. If you’re self-isolating, state this in the delivery instructions. Delivery cost is £1.70–£6.90, with a minimum spend of £40. Morrisons is accepting new Delivery Pass sign-ups, where you pay an upfront fee monthly, bi-annually or annually.
If you can’t get a delivery slot, Morrisons is offering nine Food Boxes. For example, there's a Vegetarian Essentials Box which costs £35 and contains fresh and store cupboard produce, and a Family Meat Box which contains £45 worth of fresh beef, chicken and pork. Orders placed before 3pm will arrive the next day. However, if there are essentials you need rapidly, Morrisons can be found on Deliveroo.
Morrisons is offering telesales shopping for vulnerable and elderly people, with next-day home delivery. People can choose from 47 essential items including milk, butter, eggs, potatoes, pasta, bananas, cereal and flour, and pay via chip and pin on arrival. Morrisons gift cards can also be bought online and sent via email or post to someone shopping on your behalf.
It's best to check individual Iceland stores for their opening hours. The last hour of trading in stores is reserved exclusively for NHS workers. The Food Warehouse hours are slightly different. There are some maximum purchases restrictions on items such as health, hygiene and baby products. Customers are encouraged to pay by card or contactless. There have been no changes to how Bonus Cards are used.
Home delivery is available up to six days in advance and new slots are released online at 11am, Monday to Friday. Iceland is experiencing increased demand for delivery slots. Most items are limited to a maximum of two per person, with some limited to one. Indicate in the delivery instructions if you’re self-isolating. Delivery is free on orders over £35.
The supermarket has contacted existing customers who are on the governments’ ‘shield’ list to give them priority ordering online. New customers can sign up and will be flagged to Iceland if they’re eligible for priority.
Online supermarket Ocado is experiencing high demand and is currently not accepting new customers. Priority customers (those on the government’s shield list and long-standing customers) can log in and see delivery availability for the next seven days. Existing customers without priority access can sign up to be emailed if a space becomes available.
Drivers have stopped taking shopping into people’s homes and will drop it at your front door (they'll go to your floor if you live in a block of flats). They can return substitutions but only before you touch your shopping. If you're self-isolating, flag this in the delivery instructions and the driver will leave shopping bags on your doorstep and phone you.
As Ocado can’t fulfil the quantity of deliveries it would usually, it will refund the previous month of your Smart Pass if you did not receive a delivery (or pay more than £5.99 a month and had one delivery). If you pay your fee on an annual basis, it will refund you proportionally. Ocado has also extended Low Price Promise vouchers usage to 28 days.
Simply Food stores and Foodhalls within larger M&S stores are open as usual, however homeware and clothes stores are currently closed. The first hour of trading on Monday and Thursday is reserved for the vulnerable and elderly, and on Tuesday and Friday for NHS and social care workers. M&S has also increased the period in which to add points to your Sparks card to 90 days. M&S gift cards and e-gift cards are valid for 24 months.
M&S home deliveries are taking longer than usual and its next-day delivery service is being affected. All deliveries are contactless and the driver will leave your shopping on the doorstep then notify you via the phone. If you want same-day delivery, M&S is now on Deliveroo. The M&S wine subscription service has also been cancelled and customers are being refunded.
Customers can buy food boxes online, including a meat box for £45, a mixed fruit, veg and salad box for £25, and a Made Without Wheat Essentials box for £25. Hampers and gifts are also available, including fruit baskets, celebration cakes, biscuit tins, boxes of chocolate and alcohol. The delivery cost for food boxes is £4.99 or free over £50. Delivery for hampers ranges from £3.50–£4.99, or free over £50. The delivery cost of wine ranges from £4.99–£6.99, or free over £100.
Key workers have priority entry into stores all hours of the day and early access on Sunday, 30 minutes prior to opening. Aldi stores also open 30 minutes early from Monday to Saturday for elderly and vulnerable shoppers. Opening hours have been extended until 10pm, Monday to Saturday. Card and contactless payment is preferred where possible.
Aldi has extended its delivery time frame to three to 10 working days for online orders. It’s also limiting wines and spirits to 12 bottles per order. If you need essentials more rapidly, Aldi is offering food parcels containing 22 items including tea, coffee, soup and snacks, delivered the next day if ordered before 7pm. Food parcels cost £23.99 including delivery.
Lidl is asking customers to pay by card or contactless where possible. It’s also asking adults to shop alone, except if you require assistance or need to bring a child. Lidl doesn’t have dedicated hours for elderly shoppers, but if you have difficulty queuing or need help shopping, make yourself known to the security guard or a member of the team at the front of the store. Lidl is not currently offering home delivery in the UK.
Operating hours have changed slightly, with most Booths stores open from 8am to 8pm, Monday to Saturday, and 10am to 4pm on Sunday. Key workers are invited to shop exclusively from 7am to 8am and 8pm to 9pm, Monday to Saturday. They can also browse from 9am to 10am on Sunday (tills will open at 10am), but check individual stores. Customers are asked to shop alone and pay by card. The store is also accepting telephone payments which is helpful if you're shopping for vulnerable or elderly neighbours.
Booths has launched Next Day Click & Collect. Customers can choose from over 250 products online and payment will be taken over the phone. Orders are collected from the store or customers can request to have the delivery brought to their car. The minimum spend is £30 with a £3 collection fee. Orders will be packed in paper bags, with a charge of 20p per bag.
The store is offering home delivery for those unable to get to the shops or send someone on their behalf. Customers can choose between a selection of bundles including fruit and veg boxes, meat boxes, gluten-free products, household essentials and pet products. There is a minimum spend of £20, a delivery charge of £3 and payment will be taken over the phone.
Amazon Fresh offers same-day and next-day delivery, however slots are in high demand. You can select a two-hour delivery window at the checkout and new spaces are added throughout the day. The service is free for Amazon Fresh customers, which is not currently accepting new sign-ups. Amazon Prime members can access Amazon Fresh for £2.99 on orders over £40.
Amazon Pantry is different to Amazon Fresh in that you purchase store cupboard and household items, but not fresh produce. You have to be an Amazon Prime customer to use Amazon Pantry which costs £7.99 a month. There’s a minimum spend of £15 and a delivery charge of £3.99. Deliveries are promised to arrive within a day.
Many customers are wondering whether they should book home delivery. We contacted Tesco who explained anyone can access delivery slots, which it has increased from 600,000 to 1.3 million a week. However, in general, supermarkets are encouraging people who can shop for themselves to do so, making it easier for others who need assistance.
Monthly delivery passes are normally key to saving money but as supermarkets are experiencing a huge spike in orders, customers are finding it difficult to book. Shopping in-store or with click and collect is the best way to save money at the moment. Use loyalty cards and offers sent by emails. If you do place an online order, wait until you need to place a large order as most supermarkets have a minimum spend.
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