Could online food shopping change your life?

COULD ONLINE FOOD SHOPPING CHANGE YOUR LIFE?

Ten years ago, the idea of a virtual supermarket seemed like something from a science fiction film.
The fact that one day you would be able to go online, click on what you wanted and have it delivered to you without having to leave your house sounded like a dream come true for busy mums with painful memories of pushing screaming babies in an unwieldy shopping trolley around the aisles as they tried to do the weekly shop. Nightmare!
But very quickly, that fantasy became reality.
With Tesco.com blazing the trail, most of the major supermarkets have now followed suit and millions of bags of shopping are delivered direct to our door every year.
Here, we take a look at some of the major players and what they offer.

How the big four compare
Not all companies deliver to all areas. When you first go to the site you will be asked to type in your postcode. They will then tell you if they can deliver.

Tesco
Cost: From £3.99-£5.99, depending on time of delivery
Minimum order value: none
Added value: customers worried about their carbon footprint can ask not to have
shopping delivered in carrier bags
Try it here

Waitrose
Cost: £5
Minimum order value: £50
Delivery slot: 2 hours
Added value: if you’ve a special occasion planned such as a birthday party or christening, Waitrose Entertaining is also available online. Delivery is free if you order at least one package.
Try it here!

*For customers outside the M25 only. Customers inside the M25 are served by Ocado.com, who deliver Waitrose products. Cost free-£4, depending on time of delivery; minimum order £40; one hour delivery slot.
Try it here!

Sainsburys
Cost: £2.50-£5, depending on time and value of order.
Minimum order: £25
Delivery slot; one hour
Added value: £10 off your next order, no questions asked, if your delivery is even one minute late.
Try it here!

Asda
Cost: From £3.75-£4.75, depending on day of delivery
Minimum order value: £25
Delivery slot: 2 hours
Added value: Although you can’t get George fashion delivered, you can order the fab George homeware range.
Try it here!

My view
Jane Strickland, mum of Joe, 3, and Charlie, 18 months, explains why she loves online shopping:
‘I didn’t drive a car until recently and so doing the weekly shop was a really stressful experience. I would have to push Charlie in his buggy while trying to hold two heavy baskets in one hand or suspend them off the buggy handles without tipping it over. At the same time, I was trying to keep an eye on Joe, whose idea of fun was to play hide and seek with Mummy round and round the shop.
‘The first online shopping site I used was really frustrating. They were often late and twice didn’t come at all - and didn’t even bother to ring to tell me! ‘Some of the substitute choices they gave me were awful. We’re all vegetarians and often I would find a vegetarian curry would be out of stock and they’d send me a beef or chicken one instead! If you clicked on ‘no substitutions’ you would often end up with no bread or milk.
‘Now, I use Sainsburys online and I’ve found it the best one by far. Occasionally they send something I’m not happy with but not often. And now, they will take the pastic bags away to recycle them too.
‘I don’t use it for fruit and veg - I prefer to go to my local shop for that as I like to choose it myself - but even though I can now drive a car, I wouldn’t go back to spending hours in a supermarket. Life’s too short.’