The best value ways to get your groceries delivered

The cost of living continues to rise, and one of the main expenses for most households is food. So any tips on how to save money on food are always welcome!

But have you ever wondered if it’s better value to get groceries delivered or to go shopping in person? What are the advantages of having food delivered? And, if you want to get food delivered, which are the cheapest options?

In this article we take a look at:

• The pros and cons of having your groceries delivered.
• Some of the most popular food delivery options in 2026.
• How to get the best value for your food delivery.

The pros and cons of having your groceries delivered

The use of grocery delivery companies is increasing in the UK. Over 50% of UK consumers buy their groceries online at least sometimes, and 72% of households have used at least one grocery app in the past year. In November 2025, over 20% of UK households used online grocery deliveries, an increase of almost 2% from the previous November.

So what are the pros and cons of having your groceries delivered?

• The pros of having your groceries delivered

  • You need to plan your shopping in advance. This can help to avoid food waste and save money if you plan meals around what you already have in the cupboard, fridge or freezer.
  • You can’t make last minute impulse buys.
  • You can take time to browse through items and work out the best value.
  • Your shopping is delivered to you, saving you the time and effort of going to the shops.

• The cons of having your groceries delivered

  • The main thing people don’t like about online food shopping is that you can’t physically choose the goods yourself. For most items this doesn’t matter, but for fresh food such as meat, fish, fruit, vegetables, salad etc it can make a difference.
  • As well as not being able to choose the items, you also have no control over expiry dates. You may find that some of the items delivered need to be used within a couple of days.
  • Some items may be unavailable and you may be given substitute items instead.
  • There is usually a delivery charge for goods.

So, grocery delivery services are not perfect, but many UK consumers find that the pros outweigh the cons. And, of course, if you receive a delivery that you are not completely happy with for any reason, you can always refuse to accept certain items or complain afterwards and receive some kind of refund.

So if you do want to order groceries, where is the best place to start?

Some of the most popular food delivery options in 2026

Most major supermarkets in the UK now offer online ordering with home delivery, including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, M&S, Asda, Morrisons and Iceland. There is also Ocado, which is an online-only supermarket, offering groceries – including M&S products – and other household items for home delivery. 

Other supermarkets, including Aldi, do not offer their own service, but there are options to order online and then have groceries delivered through a third-party delivery company such as Instacart.

Even Amazon is now delivering groceries. Its Amazon Fresh service offers same-day delivery of fresh, frozen, and pantry items, plus household essentials, and it also offers products from partners including Whole Foods, Morrisons, Co-op, and selected local stores. 

In addition to supermarkets and stores, there is also an increasing range of delivery companies who work in partnership with smaller stores to offer delivery in as little as 20 minutes. These include Deliveroo, Uber Eats, Whoosh, and Just Eat. Groceries can be ordered from any participating store via the delivery company app and will then be delivered to you when you want them.

So, with all these delivery options available, which is the best value to help you save money on your food shopping?

How to get the best value for your food delivery

Delivery costs vary between different supermarkets and delivery companies. You can expect to pay anywhere between £1 and £7 for a supermarket delivery, depending on the day of the week and time of your delivery. There may also be a minimum spend and/or additional charge for smaller deliveries. 

Most delivery services will charge you a distance-based delivery fee plus a service fee of around 10% of the cost of your order.

However, it is almost always possible to save money and get a better deal on your grocery delivery. Here are some ways to do that.

• Get a delivery pass. If you are having groceries delivered regularly, either directly from a supermarket or via a delivery company, check out their delivery passes/subscriptions. You should be able to pay a small amount monthly that will then give you either reduced delivery costs or even free delivery.
• Choose time slots that are cheaper. For example midweek days and off-peak times. Some supermarkets also offer cheaper delivery if you can opt for a four hour delivery window instead of the usual one hour.
• Make the most of your loyalty card. You can get much better deals on many supermarket items by linking your loyalty card to your delivery account.
• Check out first-order discounts. Even if you regularly shop at one supermarket, you may find others offer a significant discount for a first online order, so keep an eye open for those too.
• Take time to compare prices of supermarket-own brands to your normal brand and, if they are significantly cheaper, try some of them out to save money.
• Consider using cashback apps such as Shopmium or TopCashback to get some of your money back when you buy selected products.

We hope that the above tips help you to decide whether online grocery shopping is for you, and to save money on the costs.

For more ways to save money on everyday aspects of family living, check back here soon with us at Loans 2 Go.