Online grocery shopping in the uk?

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MelaniaTrump
MelaniaTrump Posts: 2,694 Member
in Food and Nutrition
You can get frozen foods?
Wouldn't they have to be packaged in special containers (expensive).
Do the stores deliver by a truck to multiple locations?
Or does a service like uber get involved?
Would it be cheaper to take the bus and a buy a little push cart?
How much more would something like milk cost vs going to the store?

I'm in the states, and the idea is strange to me.
When in a small town, I walked to grocery store a mile away. With a twin stroller
Or waited for husband to come home so I could take his car.
Online food delivery sounds fantastic. If it were the same price.
I could do online shopping here for food, but not frozen or refrigerated foods.
And the cost for shipping is mind-boggling.
Original question.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10395575/help-me-shop-please#latest
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Replies

  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
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    US has online grocery shopping as well. Not strange at al around here. You can buy refrigerated and frozen foods as well. I do all of my produce shopping online-it is cheaper than the store.
  • jnnfrnln
    jnnfrnln Posts: 1 Member
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    I'm Canadian but now live in the UK and do my grocery shopping online at least once a month. Everything is the same price as at the store. They deliver it in a big refrigerated truck. You pick the date and time and they deliver it (and carry it up the 6 flights of stairs to my door!) for about £3 ($4.50). The frozen things always arrive still frozen and everything is kept separate (fridge stuff with fridge stuff, pantry stuff with pantry stuff). Pretty much all major grocery stores offer this service.
    For someone like me who doesn't have a car, it's amazing!!
  • Tubbs216
    Tubbs216 Posts: 6,597 Member
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    I'm British and live in Canada! I really miss Tesco Direct or whatever it's called these days. When I had 3 little kids at home it was a godsend.
  • fishshark
    fishshark Posts: 1,886 Member
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    I live in San Diego... amizon prime now is a delivery system to get things within an hour or various times in the day. they go to sprouts and i can get some chicken breast or that cilantro i needed for dinner. Or ive gotten a full grocery supply. I primarily shop and whole foods but its awesome for stuff i need for dinner and dont wana go to the store. They just have colds bags they put everything in.
  • fr33sia12
    fr33sia12 Posts: 1,258 Member
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    In the UK online food shopping can cost from £1 to £6 depending on time and date. I get mine delivered on a night for £1 my bus fare would cost me £4 and I wouldn't be able to carry everything I needed the one time so would have to go twice costing £8.
    The delivery vans have a freezer compartment for the frozen foods so nothing defrosts. The cost of the foods is same online as it is in the supermarket as it all comes from the same supermarket.
    Our local shops are more expensive than supermarkets and carry a lot less than a supermarket.
  • spells1977
    spells1977 Posts: 146 Member
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    I live in the UK and I use the online shopping facility about once a month. I particularly use this service when I'm a little flushed for cash as doing it online I can see exactly what I am spending and I won't be tempted to buy foods I don't really need if I was actually walking around the supermarket. It's great that online it keeps a record of your frequently bought foods etc so you can just use the same order time after time or you can add to it or subtract from it which saves time. I do like walking round the store picking my own fresh produce etc but when short on time or money I find this very useful :)
  • cityruss
    cityruss Posts: 2,493 Member
    edited May 2016
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    Yes you can get frozen foods.

    They have a freezer section in the delivery van so the frozen foods arrive frozen.

    They use medium sized van/truck things to deliver to multiple locations.

    It may be cheaper going to the store if you include delivery costs.

    The price of any item is the same. You just pay a flat delivery cost for the online service.

    We buy a monthly delivery pass for unlimited deliveries in that period.
  • pennydreadful270
    pennydreadful270 Posts: 266 Member
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    They bag the frozen stuff in blue bags and it goes in a colder compartment of the truck. It was great before I had a car, but what you get depends on your picker and sometimes I suspect they try to get rid of the stuff that's going out of date first, so I avoided getting fresh fruit/veg this way and stuck to the bulky or heavy items, like toilet rolls and cans. :)
  • MelaniaTrump
    MelaniaTrump Posts: 2,694 Member
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    That would be so convenient.
    Almost makes me want to move to the UK.
    I thought it would be more expensive. It sounds so much cheaper.
    Considering a housewife with little ones would need a car (gas, insurance).
    Not to mention the hassle of getting everyone clean, fed, and out the door.

    Excellent point about picking what you want.
    Could save even more money.
    And the site saves your favorite items.
    Would save so much time!
  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,088 Member
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    I remember having a baby and no car. I would have to walk with the stroller down to the store and push the groceries home. It wasn't easy! Something like this would've been awesome.
    Now my children are older, they have grocery delivery! I'm in the states also. I think it depends on the area you live in. Some have grocery delivery and others don't. I have used amazon for deliveries in the past when I was short on time.
  • fr33sia12
    fr33sia12 Posts: 1,258 Member
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    JanetYellen wrote: »
    That would be so convenient.
    Almost makes me want to move to the UK.
    I thought it would be more expensive. It sounds so much cheaper.
    Considering a housewife with little ones would need a car (gas, insurance).
    Not to mention the hassle of getting everyone clean, fed, and out the door.

    Excellent point about picking what you want.
    Could save even more money.
    And the site saves your favorite items.
    Would save so much time!

    I suppose the only downside is someone else picks the food for you, so don't always pick the freshest food and the best before date can be in a short time frame. You can return the items if you want, but have to go to the supermarket to do that, or check them when the driver arrives, but you don't always have time to do that.
  • CurlyCockney
    CurlyCockney Posts: 1,394 Member
    edited May 2016
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    I've done my grocery shopping online for 10+ years. All the major supermarkets have the facility, and it's so much easier to add to my online basket as I remember things (or as people on MFP mention them!) and the list is ready when I do my monthly shop. I don't pay a delivery charge because once your order passes a certain amount it's free on some days. When things are on offer (such as dishwasher tablets or laundry powder) I stock up, which I wouldn't be able to do if I had to carry it all home.

    I only go to the store for top-ups, such as bread and fresh veggies/fruit - things that won't last a month.

    ETA: One store I use, Lidl, doesn't deliver. I don't mind though, as it's literally 5 mins away from my home and as it's a basic store (like Aldi) it means they keep their prices lower.
  • fr33sia12
    fr33sia12 Posts: 1,258 Member
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    CurlyCockney wrote: »
    I've done my grocery shopping online for 10+ years. All the major supermarkets have the facility, and it's so much easier to add to my online basket as I remember things (or as people on MFP mention them!) and the list is ready when I do my monthly shop. I don't pay a delivery charge because once your order passes a certain amount it's free on some days. When things are on offer (such as dishwasher tablets or laundry powder) I stock up, which I wouldn't be able to do if I had to carry it all home.

    I only go to the store for top-ups, such as bread and fresh veggies/fruit - things that won't last a month.

    Which ones offer free delivery? I've used Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's and Morrisons which charge as far as I know.
  • DeficitDuchess
    DeficitDuchess Posts: 3,099 Member
    edited May 2016
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    The only issue that I have with it is that I can't use coupons, from coupon books that come in my Sunday newspaper; so I've ceased getting the newspaper. Since I've been eating healthier (my version of healthier, is less prepackaged items; such as: TV dinners, etc.), most of the coupons aren't for me anyway anymore; so I was nearly breaking even with the cost of the newspaper & what I was saving with the coupon books but I do get coupon books in my mail, that're free; with the circulars.
  • fr33sia12
    fr33sia12 Posts: 1,258 Member
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    FridayApril01st2016 wrote: »
    The only issue that I have with it is that I can't use coupons, from coupon books that come in my Sunday newspaper; so I've ceased getting the newspaper. Since I've been eating healthier (my version of healthier, is less prepackaged items; such as: TV dinners, etc.), most of the coupons aren't for me anyway anymore; so I was nearly breaking even with the cost of the newspaper & what I was saving but I do get coupon books in my mail, that're free; with the circulars.

    If you use Tesco or Sainsbury's the offer points for each pound you spend, then you can get money off your shop or spend the points on other things.
  • CurlyCockney
    CurlyCockney Posts: 1,394 Member
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    fr33sia12 wrote: »
    CurlyCockney wrote: »
    I've done my grocery shopping online for 10+ years. All the major supermarkets have the facility, and it's so much easier to add to my online basket as I remember things (or as people on MFP mention them!) and the list is ready when I do my monthly shop. I don't pay a delivery charge because once your order passes a certain amount it's free on some days. When things are on offer (such as dishwasher tablets or laundry powder) I stock up, which I wouldn't be able to do if I had to carry it all home.

    I only go to the store for top-ups, such as bread and fresh veggies/fruit - things that won't last a month.

    Which ones offer free delivery? I've used Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's and Morrisons which charge as far as I know.

    Sainsbury's. It's free delivery Mon-Thurs after 2 pm if you spend more than £100.
  • DeficitDuchess
    DeficitDuchess Posts: 3,099 Member
    edited May 2016
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    fr33sia12 wrote: »
    FridayApril01st2016 wrote: »
    The only issue that I have with it is that I can't use coupons, from coupon books that come in my Sunday newspaper; so I've ceased getting the newspaper. Since I've been eating healthier (my version of healthier, is less prepackaged items; such as: TV dinners, etc.), most of the coupons aren't for me anyway anymore; so I was nearly breaking even with the cost of the newspaper & what I was saving but I do get coupon books in my mail, that're free; with the circulars.

    If you use Tesco or Sainsbury's the offer points for each pound you spend, then you can get money off your shop or spend the points on other things.

    I am able to use my store's savings club card & coupons that I'm able to load to it, from their website but I reside in NJ, USA.
  • CurlyCockney
    CurlyCockney Posts: 1,394 Member
    edited May 2016
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    I haven't tried Click and Collect yet, where you order and pay online and they shop for you and you collect it a couple of hours later (they bring it to your car), but I believe that's free too.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
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    JanetYellen wrote: »
    That would be so convenient.
    Almost makes me want to move to the UK.
    I thought it would be more expensive. It sounds so much cheaper.
    Considering a housewife with little ones would need a car (gas, insurance).
    Not to mention the hassle of getting everyone clean, fed, and out the door.

    Excellent point about picking what you want.
    Could save even more money.
    And the site saves your favorite items.
    Would save so much time!

    They have grocery delivery in the US also. Amazon Pantry is widely available as are local grocery services in many areas. Some CSAs deliver produce and other items as well.
  • 100df
    100df Posts: 668 Member
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    fr33sia12 wrote: »
    JanetYellen wrote: »
    That would be so convenient.
    Almost makes me want to move to the UK.
    I thought it would be more expensive. It sounds so much cheaper.
    Considering a housewife with little ones would need a car (gas, insurance).
    Not to mention the hassle of getting everyone clean, fed, and out the door.

    Excellent point about picking what you want.
    Could save even more money.
    And the site saves your favorite items.
    Would save so much time!

    I suppose the only downside is someone else picks the food for you, so don't always pick the freshest food and the best before date can be in a short time frame. You can return the items if you want, but have to go to the supermarket to do that, or check them when the driver arrives, but you don't always have time to do that.

    I would enjoy putting together people's orders. It would be satisfying finding the best tomatoes or whatever with someone else's money. I am going to look into this. Could be a fun part-time job. Our grocery store is finally getting ready to start delivering.

    When I worked full-time and didn't live in the middle of nowhere, we had groceries delivered. Loved it! Not sure if it was less expensive but sure was convenient.

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