Supermarket delivery comparison

Shopping has always been an essential part of daily life. For as long as I can remember, going around the supermarket with my parents for the weekly shop was deeply important. Throughout the pandemic, visiting supermarkets was one of the few things that remained the same. Despite needing to wear masks, individuals could buy whatever food they wished.

However, adjusting to university means many may prefer to shop online and stay away from the supermarket. It’s perfectly understandable and reflects a growing trend towards food being delivered to one’s door, rather than going to buy it. Vans with supermarket logos have become a part of every street with hard working delivery drivers dropping off products. Whether you’re a fresher shopping for yourself for the first time or a long-time Warwick student looking to transition your food purchasing online, there are lots of brilliant deals around.

Tesco

Tesco offers a Deliver Saver, which is a subscription-based delivery service that can be used once a day, every day. The final order must be £40 or more, otherwise a minimum “basket charge” of at least £4 is applied. The Delivery Saver allows individuals to cancel their plan within 14 days of starting or renewing a plan, and there is an option to turn off the automatic renewal of a plan. During the pandemic, Tesco has limited each online order to 95 items, with a three items limit on face coverings, handwash, wipes, flour and eggs. It’s worth keeping in mind this could be an issue for students in larger houses looking to order more food.

Sainsbury’s

Sainsbury’s provides a Delivery Pass that involves paying an upfront fee and no further delivery charge for orders over £40. Individuals can purchase an Anytime Pass (Monday – Sunday) priced at £60 for 12 months, at £35 for six months, or at £20 f0r three months. However, a Midweek Pass (Tuesday – Thursday) can also be purchased, costing £30 for 12 months, £18 for six months, and £10 for three months. Individuals can order as often as they’d like, but they can only receive one Delivery Pass per day. The pass renews automatically, but a reminder is sent 28 days beforehand. The pass can also be cancelled within 14 days with a full refund offered.

Morrisons

Morrisons, like Sainsbury’s, provides a Morrisons Delivery Pass allowing individuals to shop as often as they desire without paying for delivery. Individuals can choose a midweek pass (Tuesday – Thursday) costing £35 annually, £20 six-monthly, or £5 monthly. They can also opt for a weekly pass (Monday – Sunday) costing £65 annually, £40 six-monthly, and £8 monthly.

Aldi

Aldi provides a Next Day Delivery service for £3.95, eligible for orders placed before 7pm on Monday to Friday, with items placed after 7pm on a Friday delivered the following Monday. Aldi also provides a Named Day Delivery for £3.95, with items delivered Monday to Saturday up to two weeks from the date the request was made. Aldi also provides Free Standard Delivery over £30, which is three to five working days from the date the order was placed, with standard delivery only £2.95 for orders under £30. Aldi, as expected, is one of the cheaper options, which could be an incentive for students ordering their shopping online.

Marks & Spencer

Marks & Spencer have partnered with Ocado to deliver food with over 750 brand new services. The demand for increased service means that booking a slot won’t be available straight away, but the hope is that individuals will be able to secure a spot in the long term. People who are considering using Marks & Spencer for their online delivery are advised to look at the website for more information. For students wanting to start online deliveries immediately, Marks & Spencer may not be the supermarket to go for, but it’s worth keeping in mind if you plan on using online deliveries in the future.

Iceland

Iceland delivers for free the next day, with no delivery pass required, provided the purchase is over £35. Iceland usually delivers Monday to Sunday, with two hour delivery slots available between 8am and 9pm. Since there is no subscription service needed for Iceland, students may prefer this option, as they will not need to pay any additional costs. If splitting a shop between more than one person, £35 is not a difficult amount to reach. Although Iceland are known for their freezer food, aren’t students also known for living off of freezer food?

ASDA

ASDA allows individuals to place an order for any amount. However, customers pay an additional £3 minimum basket charge if their order is less than £40 for deliver orders or £25 for Click and Collect orders. An Express Collection slot can allow costumiers to collect their order four hours after it is placed. ASDA place a special emphasis on ensuring fraud doesn’t occur, which can be a comforting thought for those choosing a supermarket delivery service. Similarly, the use of Click and Collect is worth considering if you are less high risk, but still don’t want to be going fully into the shops.

The Co-op

The Co-op can deliver everything to one’s home for no delivery charge if over £25 is spent. For shopping online, it’s also possible to click and collect within store by spending over £15 and collecting the shopping within two hours. The £25 fee doesn’t apply to items like cigarettes and tobacco, postage stamps, and lottery tickets. Like ASDA, it’s worth considering using the Click and Collect service if you would like to minimise your time in-store, but are happy to safely interact with a few people. Additionally, the no fee over £25 is great for students on a budget, as the minimum spend is relatively low, especially when split between housemates.