Delivery charges

Living in a fairly rural spot I’m just relieved to find anyone who will deliver at all as supermarket slots are so hard to obtain. I have managed to get a Tesco slot for next week by staying up past midnight, (delivery charge was £6 I think) and a wholesale greengrocer has diversified and is doing ‘boxes’ for £25 delivered. I have my second of these coming next week. The first was excellent. I don’t begrudge delivery charges, particularly at the moment. Just glad to be able to stay out of the supermarket.

No delivery charge from Waitrose, minimum spend £60 and quite a lot of delivery/click and collect dates available although I do not know how many were also available for the younger generation. I am not in the vulnerable category but they had my age somewhere in their records!

It will be interesting to see if there are any changes in delivery charges once some sort of normality arrives. I have heard that supermarkets actually lose or at best break even on deliveries given the costs involved, particularly when they cover quite a large area. We shall have to wait and see - hopefully not too long!

My DH is a delivery driver for one of the large supermarkets. Several of his fellow drivers are off work to stay safe, leaving the rest of them to cover more and more deliveries in a shorter time. I do worry about him, and hope each day that the people receiving his deliveries understand why he has to leave the goods on their doorstep. His day starts at 5.30am so please give these chaps a thought.

He says it is awful knowing he is delivering to an elderly person on their own, and that they will struggle to lift the groceries into their homes without him being able to help as he would have previously.

As for the moaners and grumblers - they need to remember that he is just the delivery man - not the management!

If you consider that they have to take time to pack up your order , pay out costs of petrol and take on costs of general wear and tear and deliver to your door, then go back to base it is not unreasonable to expect to pay for that service.

I've had one delivery from Sainsburys, and booked another, for Tues, yesterday, in middle of the day, cost £1. No bother to book either. Great service by a girl last time who behaved impeccably re social distancing. Great value for money.

My wonderful daughter delivers my shopping every other week. The children won’t let us go out. Although DH did sneak down to the chemist for his prescription. My daughter queued for 1 1/2 hrs at 10.30pm at Boots to be told they didn’t have my tablets. I managed to get a Tesco delivery for 7th May by sitting up till 12 one night. I am adding to it until the last minute and stuff for my daughter. It cost £5. We have roast dinners on Sundays delivered from the local pub. I have ordered from Chemist on line and Lakeland. I am looking round at other on line co to order odd things from.

I can’t believe the people complaining about delivery charges. It costs the supermarkets a lot in overheads to provide deliveries. Please use a bit of imagination and appreciate the work involved . They are not charities. Also, food prices will inevitably increase. The UK has some of the cheapest food in the world and with the shortage of ‘pickers’ alongside increased demand, the outcome is clear. Meanwhile, as one who is on the shielded list, I just wish I could GET a delivery !

Local independents near me mainly seem to be offering free delivery. Ive just ordered a mixed veg and fruit box with flour, with free delivery

Aepgirl I too am 70 but have not been contacted by Waitrose. However - they do have a service called Waitrose Rapid. It is limited stock and I think you're only allowed a certain number of items and it's £5 but you get a delivery that day.

Morrison's meat box and their elderly and venerable list boxes have been good. Value and free delivery.

I have just been lucky to get a recurring slot with Asda for every other Wednesday until 21st January 2021 which is when the annual delivery charge of £24 I paid for in January lapses. This charge is for mid week deliveries.

I use Tesco deliveries all the year round and pay a monthly fee to cover all deliveries. Since this lock down started they have let me know that they have suspended my subscription but my deliveries will still be free!

I have to confess to “delivery envy”. I live in a cul de sac and see supermarket vans going to my (able bodied) neighbours regularly. I am becoming increasingly frustrated at my inability to obtain a slot from multiple supermarkets. I am shielded. My husband is physically unable to shop for us and I am following all the instructions given in my lockdown letter. We are using local butcher and greengrocer who deliver a ‘meat pack’ or ‘vegetable box’ and are great, so we won’t starve, but a supermarket slot would be wonderful.

I have had a Tesco Delivery Saver package for some time as I am physically disabled, although only just over 50. I am not on any list as I do not have respiratory problems. However, my husband suffers from asthma, so I am loathe to send him to the supermarket.

My other alternative is to go shopping with one of my younger children (eldest DD lives away from home). I had already booked delivery slots with Tesco up until Easter so was ok until then.

Trying to get another slot has been so difficult. A week before Easter, I tried every night to get a slot for next week - the slots were added between 11.20pm and 11.50pm and so I would be ready on the page and wait to be put in a queue. Every single time, without fail, I would go from the queue onto the site and every slot would be taken.

Finally, one night this week, I just happened to be on the laptop at 11.30pm. I went onto the Tesco site, waited to be put in the queue and actually managed to get a slot. 6th May I will get another delivery.

I do appreciate that I was lucky and already had slots booked before we were on lock-down but have noticed that some stores have prioritised regular customers in terms of giving away slots, which Tesco have not done. May review my supermarket of choice once all this is over.

We get groceries through a 3rd party delivery service . They shop/deliver from local food markets, pharmacies etc. Items ordered through this 3rd party, on the average cost 10% higher than prices on shelves. Delivery fee is $15 for orders over $35 plus driver/shopper's tip (15%) added to the total.

Because we are members of a Warehouse Club, we place orders directly via their portal (get lower prices) and said Warehouse has an arrangement with the same 3rd party company. We still get charged for delivery plus driver's tip.

Unless there's an issue, we do make it a point to raise the tip to 20%. They don't get paid very much for time spent shopping and delivering (with their own car and petrol) and risking their health every day. They provide a much needed service. We want them to know they are appreciated.

Vicky don't be too quick to judge your neighbours, unless you know their full medical history. They may look able-bodied, but that's not the whole story. Other things (eg meds for hypertension), or diabetes, may make them specially vulnerable.

We are able-bodied, but we are both over 70 and it seems that men are more vulnerable than women to be severely affected. I don't want to take any chances, so I'm having groceries delivered. However, the only way I've been able to get a slot (from Asda), I've had to get up at 3 in the morning to get a slot. Perhaps you could try that.

P.S. I should have added that I live in the US and it's not easy to get groceries ordered on demand here either. In some areas it's worse than others. Our Daughter and Son in law managed to get a delivery slot 10 days out at 2 am.

Also delivery fees go up ridiculously by how much you want to move up a delivery. Some items are Out of Stock and you don't find out until you receive your (short) order They are good at taking charges off automatically.

I had an e mail from M and S yesterday,and ordered a fresh fruit box for next Wednesday.£20 plus £3:99 delivery.
They also do meat,vegetable,and other foods.
I mainly shop at Sainsbury’s but they won’t let me on to their site. I have found Asda between 10 and midnight to be easiest to access

We have had a fruit and veg box delivered free by a local company for a while now, it has been a godsend recently
We never know what it will contain, but not one bit have we wasted. We've had lots of 'unusual 'soups ?
I really hope that people will continue to support local businesses when this crisis is over

As the OP, I just want to clarify that I am not against delivery charges, though it is great that our local independent shops do not charge for delivery. However I reckon it is covered by the cost of their produce., which is fair enough, as it is good quality.
I did resent the vegi box people increasing their charge from £2.50 to £6.95 as it almost turned the cost of my box at £9 to almost £16. It did not show until I had completed my order. It just makes it not worthwhile. I do consider this is profiteering,

I have not had a supermarket delivery myself, so I can’t comment on their charges, though I have added items to my daughter’s order.
Those who resent apparently non vulnerable people getting deliveries should be aware that they may have hidden disabilities, or may be shopping for elderly parents or neighbours too.
Certainly when this is over we shall continue to patronise the local shops, as we always have done.

I am 85,i live alone and have reduced mobility, walking is difficult so the village shop is my limit. A year ago I began to use Oakhouse meals. A good selection of frozen meals along with groceries and household goods. They deliver weekly and have been a godsend in these difficult times.

We pay £2.99 a month with Ocado. Normally as many deliveries as you like as long as you spend £40 each shop. At the moment it’s two a month, we are very thankful.

Jane - I am not ‘judging’ anyone. My comment about able bodied people receiving deliveries refers to families with teenage children, people who walk dogs, cycle and jog round the park. My neighbours often get shopping for me as well. My problem is not these people, it’s the supermarket system which announces they prioritise the vulnerable which is clearly not the case!

I have online shopped with the same supermarket for 6 years! Since this has happened I haven't been able to get an online shop so pretty peeved off with all those that are now taking the online delivery slots.

I've got a delivery pass and vouchers to use. I shall be asking my supermarket online service for refund/extra vouchers to cover this

I did my online main shop once a month as I am disabled though mobile. Topping it with what was needed during the month using my mobility scooter

I am not considered vulnerable enough to get priority as I don't have cancer, diabetes and so on. I've got to suck it up.

I would just like to be getting an online shop even if I was having to pay extra for the delivery

Our small Co-op are delivering for free with £15+ order - no more than 20 items and no more than 2 of anything, not complaining as its the first delivery we have been able to book in a month - despite my husband being on the vulnerable list. Finally heard from Asda who have been informed our house has a vulnerable person - need to book at least 4 days in advance and they take the money immediately rather than on the day - no thanks, bad past experience with Asda deliveries.