Rapidity Comes at a Cost Delivery Apps Double Grocery Prices for UK Shoppers

UK consumers seeking convenience through rapid delivery apps such as Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats are finding themselves paying dramatically more for their groceries, according to a recent investigation by Which, the UK’s consumer champion. The study shows that some shoppers are being charged up to twice as much for supermarket staples when ordering via these platforms, with average markups of at least twenty per cent across everyday items.

Which conducted a price analysis on up to fifty grocery products from Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose and found significant increases across the board. Sainsbury’s Nectar card holders suffered the steepest rises, losing out on loyalty discounts unavailable on the delivery apps. This means Sainsbury’s customers could pay as much as forty five per cent more on Uber Eats, forty one per cent more on Deliveroo and forty per cent more on Just Eat compared to in-store prices.

Concrete examples include Birds Eye cod fish fingers, obtainable for £3 in store with a Nectar card, rising to £6.25 through delivery platforms. Quorn chicken nuggets follow a similar trajectory, doubling from £1.75 in person to £3.50 on rapid delivery apps. At Waitrose, shoppers paid approximately a third more via Uber Eats, with items such as Pampers nappies and Tilda microwave rice costing up to twice their supermarket shelf price. Morrisons customers faced markups of twenty seven per cent on average, while Asda shoppers paid between nineteen and thirty one per cent more, depending on the app.

Tesco also came under scrutiny. Although it operates its own rapid delivery service, Whoosh, Clubcard holders still paid twenty five per cent more on average via this platform due to certain promotional prices not being reflected, while even non card holders saw increases of eighteen per cent through the service.

Retailers defend these increases, stating that prices mirror the substantial cost of third party platform use and the logistical challenges involved in providing nearly instant grocery orders. Meanwhile, delivery apps point to promotional offers and value initiatives as examples of their commitment to fair pricing. Uber Eats and Deliveroo note the availability of in store price matches for selected products, while Just Eat highlighted its “Half price Wednesdays” promotion.

Industry voices caution that, while these services allow time pressed customers easy access to household essentials, the premium being paid is significant. Shoppers are advised to think carefully about whether the convenience of rapid delivery justifies the higher cost, especially as inflation and living expenses continue to rise across the UK grocery sector.