Make the most of online delivery during lockdown
lthough most shops, pubs and leisure venues have had to close with current coronavirus lockdown, an option remains for delivery services to your home from food outlets and many other stores.
We are all permitted to go out for “infrequent shopping” to buy necessities such as food or medicine, but people are advised to further lessen risk by using delivery services when possible.
So which shops offer deliveries online? Supermarkets with the service include Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Asda, M&S and Morrisons.
M&S goods are now available on Deliveroo as well as BP M&S Food. To order with Deliveroo you download the app then search for M&S. Add items to your basket, noting any limitations then, when you’re ready, hit the ‘checkout’ button.
Delivery is free but, if an order is below £10, you will be charged a ‘small order’ fee. Look on supermarket websites for details about home deliveries but be warned there is high demand and you may have to wait a while for slots. Other retailers whose stores are closed may still give online delivery service. Typical foodstuffs you can order online include ready meals, milk, bread, snacks and chocolates, even your favourite tipple. Some products may be capped to two items per order to allow fairness of distribution.
New range Essentials by Deliveroo aims to provide items such as tinned goods, dried pasta, cereal and other household items. This is available in Leeds, Reading, Brighton, Nottingham, Manchester and London. Deliveroo Founder and CEO Will Shu said: “We hope we can play a role in supporting people who have to isolate to get the food they need, whether that’s household items or restaurant food.”
Boots offers home delivery, but services can take up to seven days. Toilet rolls and hand washes have been intermittently out of stock. John Lewis still has its click and collect service available at Waitrose stores. The retailer will deliver large items
Aif no members of a household are self-isolating, and will honour home installation and assembly services booked before March 19.
Amazon is delivering, with priority to those who need essentials, such as the elderly. Prime members can also use Amazon Fresh and Amazon Pantry, which stock household and some food items.
Superdrug has home delivery and click and collect services, with potential delays on some orders.
New Look is still delivering, and their returns policy has been extended for three months. H&M still offers free standard delivery and free flexible returns on all hm.com orders. It has also extended its returns policy to 100 days for all items.
Websites for the Arcadia group, which includes Topshop, Burton, Dorothy Perkins, Evans and Miss
Selfridge all remain active, allowing orders from stores online.
Topshop has also said it is offering contact free deliveries for anyone who requests them, and the returns policy for in-store purchases will be extended by 14 days once stores reopen.
Miss Selfridge has free online deliveries with drop times on track.
River Island operates a 24/7 delivery service, with contact-less delivery on request, plus deliveries to local collection points.
GAP has stopped its click and collect service, but is offering free delivery on orders of more than £25, and an extended returns policy.
TK Maxx shoppers can have home deliveries as normal, but are unable to use the click and collect service.
There is contact-free delivery and an extended returns policy.