Sainsbury’s one-hour delivery service takes on Amazon with bikes

Sainsbury's is to fight back against Amazon with a one-hour grocery delivery service in London.

The supermarket, which recently bought Argos as part of its efforts to see off the American online retail specialist, has developed an online app called Chop Chop, through which shoppers can order up to 20 items to be delivered from a local store within an hour.

Service extended

Sainsbury’s has been testing out the Chop Chop service in Wandsworth, south London, under which groceries are delivered Deliveroo-style using bicycles, since June. It is now being extended across southwest and central London areas including Chelsea, Westminster, Fulham, Battersea, Southwark, Wandsworth and Wimbledon.

The supermarket first offered a home-delivery service by bicycle more than 130 years ago, but the latest effort is part of its bid to fight back against the encroachment of a very modern phenomenon.

Amazon began offering frozen and chilled foods via its Prime Now one-hour delivery service in Birmingham

nearly a year ago, and now offers fruit and veg for one-hour delivery in a number of cities including London, Glasgow, Manchester and Liverpool.

In June, Amazon also launched its Fresh grocery delivery service, which offers fresh fruit, vegetables and meat as well as other kitchen cupboard staples, in London and Surrey. It kicked off the service after Morrisons agreed to supply Amazon with groceries. – (Guardian)