All we want for Christmas is a supermarket delivery! As online slots sell out across the country, store bosses advise customers to team up with a neighbour to order your festive food
- Four big stores have no delivery or click and collect options from December 20
- Lack of availability raise fears for those classed as vulnerable who rely on online
- Retailers say will open their shops until midnight in the week before Christmas
Supermarkets have asked neighbours to order their Christmas shop together after ‘unprecedented demand’ has left delivery slots fully booked up.
Across the country, the four big stores – Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons – have no delivery or click and collect options from December 20.
The lack of availability will raise fears for those classed as vulnerable who rely on online food shopping.
Tesco, (pictured, file image) Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons – have no delivery or click and collect options from December 20
Marks & Spencer – which has a Christmas food collection service – has also run out of slots for customers in some areas.
The Mail searched for delivery and collection slots in cities around England. In Bristol demand was so high that one Tesco had already run out of all delivery and collection options.
The four big supermarkets in Newcastle upon Tyne have no more collection slots from December 20 and Sainsbury’s has no delivery times from December 17. The stores said demand is high because families are trying to reduce their exposure to the virus.
The lack of availability will raise fears for those classed as vulnerable who rely on online food shopping (file image)
Tesco said it had increased its capacity by more than double and had 1.5million online grocery slots a week. Meanwhile, Sainsbury’s has told shoppers to club together to make sure nobody in their community missed out.
It said: ‘We continue to prioritise our most vulnerable customers and have seen unprecedented demand for our home delivery service in the run-up to Christmas. This year more than ever, we encourage communities to support one another by sharing deliveries and shopping for others where they can.’
Retailers have announced that they will open their shops until midnight in the week before Christmas to help meet demand and boost sales. Marks & Spencer said two-thirds of its shops would open late.
Tesco said it had increased its capacity by more than double and had 1.5million online grocery slots a week (file image)
A Tesco spokesman said: ‘While we have significantly more slots this Christmas than ever before, the majority are now booked up.
‘Our advice to customers still planning their festive shop is to shop in store where possible in order to free up slots for those who need them most.’ Waitrose also said its Christmas slots had run out from December 20.
It said: ‘We’ve been prioritising vulnerable customers throughout the year and we know that a significant proportion of our Christmas week slots have been booked by people classed as vulnerable.