Waitrose trials half-hour deliveries with Deliveroo

Waitrose will offer half-hour deliveries to more than half a million customers after signing a deal with Deliveroo.

The supermarket chain said that customers could expect items delivered to their home within as little as half an hour if they live in one of the areas covered by the trial starting on Tuesday.

More than 500 products will be available to be picked up with the takeaway company’s drivers and delivered to doors for the 12-week trial period.

If successful, the companies will extend the delivery after the trial, they said.

It would add to the supermarket’s ability to deliver straight to customers.

It already offers home delivery through its website, and two-hour home delivery itself.

“We have laid down a marker for our future strategy with the growth of Waitrose.com and Waitrose Rapid and this gives us another opportunity to give our customers a taste of what the future of convenience shopping could look like for us,” Waitrose executive director James Bailey said.

“Our trial with Deliveroo has huge potential to give new and existing customers greater choice and flexibility for when and how they want to shop with Waitrose.”

Demand for online deliveries exploded during the lockdown months as people were advised to stay at home apart from for essential journeys.

Many chose to stay at home and order in food rather than go to the supermarket.

As a result, Waitrose has expanded from offering 60,000 delivery slots a week before the pandemic to 160,000 today, and has plans to add another 90,000.

Deliveroo vice president of new business Ajay Lakhani said: “Deliveroo’s on-demand grocery services have proven vital for so many people during this difficult period, allowing families to get the items they want and need quickly without having to leave home.

“This new partnership will bring Waitrose’s fantastic product range to people in as little as 30 minutes. We are excited about working with such a brilliant British brand, bringing people the food they need and want, on demand.”

The trial will be available from September 1 at Waitrose shops in Bracknell and Clifton, and from September 3 in Surbiton, Fitzroy Street (Cambridge) and Notting Hill.