Online shopping meltdown: Supermarket delivery system appears close to collapse as stores struggle to cope with deluge of orders during coronavirus crisis
- Daily Mail survey found no delivery slots available from any mainstream stores
- No orders could be placed from Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Waitrose and Ocado
- Boris Johnson suggested locked-down Britons should arrange food deliveries
- Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?
Britain’s online super-market delivery system appears close to collapse.
A Daily Mail survey found no delivery slots available from any of the mainstream stores to addresses across the UK.
Families and the elderly could not place orders with the biggest stores – Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Waitrose and Ocado.
All said they had no delivery slots on their forward booking systems.
A Daily Mail survey found no delivery slots available from Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Waitrose and Ocado (stock image)
Before the coronavirus chaos, internet ordering and home deliveries only made up 7 per cent of Britain’s grocery market. Pictured: Asda had no delivery slots through to April
Boris Johnson suggested this week that locked-down Britons should arrange food deliveries to cope with home quarantine. But the evidence suggests this system is collapsing under the weight of demand.
Before the coronavirus chaos, internet ordering and home deliveries only made up 7 per cent of Britain’s grocery market.
As a result, supermarkets do not have the drivers and vehicles to increase capacity significantly without major outside help from, for example, the military.
Supermarkets do not have the drivers and vehicles to increase capacity significantly without major outside help from, for example, the military. Pictured: Tesco also had no slots
Waitrose said no slots could be booked as they were trying to ‘meet demand’
Boris Johnson last night put the UK into a state of lockdown in a bid to slow the spread of coronavirus
Sainsbury’s chief executive Mike Coupe promised to prioritise the elderly and vulnerable for online orders and deliveries. As a result, it appears to be refusing to allow existing or new customers to place any orders.
Thousands of people went on social media to complain they cannot register for this service.
Pauline Dimmock tweeted: ‘I have elderly in-laws – 80 and 85 – housebound and apparently a priority!
‘No delivery slots for 4 weeks. Sainsbury’s have always delivered to them and have identified that they are vulnerable but still no delivery slots.’
Sainsbury’s chief executive Mike Coupe promised to prioritise the elderly and vulnerable for online orders and deliveries. As a result, it appears to be refusing to allow existing or new customers to place any orders
Families and the elderly could not place orders with the biggest stores – including Tesco (stock image)
Michael Webb wrote: ‘This is a serious problem. I’m in lockdown as sole carer for 92-year-old. Supermarket home delivery services have just fallen over.’ Asda had no delivery slots on its forward booking system through to April 14, after which it does not offer any slots. The same applied to Tesco until April 13.
The Waitrose website reported it had no slots, while customers logging on to Ocado were given a waiting time of four hours.
Some stores have stepped up click and collect services, with pick-up points in car parks. Morrisons is recruiting 3,500 people for its online shopping and delivery service, and is setting up a call centre to take orders from those who do not shop online.
Sainsbury’s apologised for the delays, and Asda said ‘unprecedented demand’ meant it was ‘struggling to get products to customers’.
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