Deliveries a little off

ONLINE grocery shopping has surged in popularity in the past year, but some items are delivered just 48 hours before they expire.

A survey by consumer group Choice found supermarkets Coles and Woolworths often delivered food that had to be eaten within a few days.

And 46 per cent of people surveyed said they had received products on, or very close to, their use by dates.

The Choice survey found that chilled milk, chilled meat, packaged salad and vegetables, and yoghurt were the foods most often delivered with a less than ideal shelf life.