News

May 29, 2023

Urgent warning for anyone using Deliveroo or UberEats this weekend

ORDERING groceries through apps such as Deliveroo or UberEats could cost you

ORDERING groceries through apps such as Deliveroo or UberEats could cost you double.

Even if your food is delivered from exactly the same store, ordering supermarket groceries via a delivery app could cost as much as twice the price, according to Which?.

The new research carried about by the consumer group, also found Amazon charges up to 45% more for some Morrisons products than if they were bought from the supermarket's own website.

Which? put together a shopping basket of 15 popular grocery items at five major supermarkets.

It then compared this against the cost of ordering an identical selection from the same shop to the same postcode via delivery apps - not including the added delivery fees.

These included Uber Eats, Just Eat and Deliveroo.

Almost all of the items were either more expensive on the delivery apps or the same price.

Ele Clark, Which? retail editor, said: "Ordering groceries from Deliveroo, Just Eat or Uber Eats is undeniably appealing but the cost of this convenience could be double what you'd pay if you cut out the middleman.

"As well as the extra cost on your groceries, you'll probably have a delivery fee too, so it's worth weighing this up before ordering anything to your door."

Which? found customers pay on average 8% more for Morrisons groceries via Amazon than by ordering direct.

But in one example it found that a 250g pack of Country Life unsalted butter cost 45% more on Amazon.

Own-brand Fairtrade bananas cost 85p at Sainsbury's and all three apps charged a whopping 106% premium, pricing them at £1.75.

Which?'s basket included branded goods such as Doritos crisps and own-label milk and ready meals.

In total the groceries would have cost £36.63 from Iceland.

Getting the same items delivered from the same Iceland store by Just Eat would have cost £50.50, not including delivery fees – 38% more.

Warburtons Toastie Thick Sliced White Bread cost £1 on Iceland's website but £2 on Just Eat and Uber Eats.

Hovis Best of Both Medium Bread cost £1.19 on the Morrisons website but £2.05 from Uber Eats.

Other examples included Asda own-brand Pinot Grigio costing £7 on the supermarket's website and £9.10 on all three apps.

Which? also pointed out that as well as the cost of the food itself, delivery fees and minimum order amounts are important to consider.

Supermarkets’ own delivery fees usually range from free to around £7, though most offer annual delivery passes that can cost a lot less in the long run.

Supermarkets also usually set a non-negotiable minimum spend to qualify for home delivery, which can range from £25 at Morrisons and Sainsbury's to £50 at Tesco.

Minimum spends with the rapid delivery apps work differently in that they depend on which retailer you’re ordering from.

It's important to remember that you may be charged a "small order fee" if you don't meet a certain threshold.

The amount will vary depending on how close you are to the supermarket.

Deliveroo charges between 99p and £4.49 extra for orders less than £15, plus a service fee of 99p to £2.49.

For Just Eat, the delivery fee ranges between being free and £4.50, alongside a "small order fee" set by supermarket, and 50p to £1.99 service fee.

Meanwhile, Uber Eats has no minimum spend, but there's a service fee of between 99p and £2.99.

A spokesperson for Which? said delivery apps "can make life easier" but usually only if you’re not buying enough food to meet a supermarket's minimum spend threshold.

The consumer brand also explained that Amazon Prime customers will soon need to spend more in order to get free Morrisons delivery within two hours.

Prime members can currently spend a minimum of £40 and qualify to get their supermarket shopping within two hours for free.

But from June 19, Morrisons customers will have to spend at least £60 to be eligible - that's an extra £20.

If shoppers spend between £15 and £40 (£15 is the minimum spend for delivery) they'll need to pay a £2 fee to get the two-hour offer.

A Deliveroo spokesperson said: "The prices for grocery items available on the Deliveroo platform are set by our grocery partners.

"Deliveroo always seeks to deliver great choice, availability and value for money to our customers, and we have agreed price-matching with our grocery partners including Morrisons, Co-op, Asda and more across hundreds of items."

An Uber Eats spokesperson said: "Everyone who partners with Uber Eats sets their own prices and we always encourage them to match the prices offered in-store.

"Customers who choose to order groceries via apps like ours do so because of the convenience, speed and choice on offer from rapid delivery."

Meanwhile, a bargain supermarket is boosting kids school meal vouchers in a bid to help struggling parents.

Plus, a single mum-of-four has shared her top tips for saving money on her food shop - spending just £121 a month at the supermarket.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected]