Does it cost more to order groceries on Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats?

What you’ll really pay if you get your groceries delivered from a takeaway service.

It’s never been easier to get takeaways or your supermarket shopping delivered to your front door – including getting those groceries collected and dropped off by Deliveroo and Uber Eats.

You can order supplies and get them within a few hours, if not less. It’s certainly convenient. But as with using these apps and websites for takeaways, I wanted to find out if you’ll actually be overpaying.

So I’ve compared prices from the apps vs going direct to the supermarkets, plus looked at any extra charges. Here’s what you need to know before ordering.

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Which delivery apps offer grocery delivery?

You’ll find the major supermarkets as well as some convenience stores on Uber Eats, Just Eat or Deliveroo.

There are similar services such as Getir, Gorillas and Beelivery too. These often have their own warehouses rather than working with traditional retailers. I’m not covering here as the reach is still limited around the country.

Which supermarkets are on Uber Eats, Just Eat and Deliveroo?

The apps have partnerships with Asda, Co-op, Iceland, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose, as well as smaller shops like McColls, One-Stop and even some petrol stations.

Of course, you need the supermarket to be in your delivery area to appear on the app. And even if you have a store near you, they might not partner with the apps in your area.

All three apps seem to have an offer with most supermarkets – it used to be that you’d have to use a specific app to shop at specific shops.

Ordering & delivery

Using these apps is completely separate to the supermarket’s own delivery service, so you don’t need an account with the supermarket itself.

You will need to download the Deliveroo, Just Eat or Uber Eats app, or access them via a web browser. You then need to sign up if you haven’t already.

Making an order is exactly the same as with a takeaway. If you have a participating supermarket near you it’ll appear on the app.

Add the items you want to your basket and pay. Then wait for them to arrive at your door.

Charges and extra fees

On Deliveroo, most of the supermarkets say it’s free delivery, but on Uber Eats all added a fee of around £2. Some charged a different rate depending on how close you were to the supermarket, others charged a flat fee. Just Eat charges £1.29 to £3.29 for delivery.

There’s also a minimum order of around £15 with Uber Eats and Deliveroo, although Just Eat doesn’t seem to have one. If you don’t meet this threshold, you’ll be charged an additional fee, often around £3.

You’ll also find that most add an extra service charge. For Uber Eats, it’s 10% of the order. On Deliveroo it was generally 5%, with a minimum of 49p and cap of £2. And Just Eat charges a service fee of 99p to £2.99.

And on top of this, you might be charged for carrier bags at 10p per bag, though one dummy order I set up added 40p despite having just four items. There’s also the option to provide a driver tip.

It’s possible to request a specific time slot or just ask for it as soon as possible. You’ll get an indication of when the delivery will be made, and you can track progress. In my experience of using both for takeaways, there’s always a good chance it’ll be late! You might be charged more for this or a priority order.

Can you collect your loyalty points?

Previously, you couldn’t use your loyalty cards using these apps, but you can now link your loyalty apps to Deliveroo and Uber Eats. Not all loyalty apps work with both apps, but we’ve seen that you can connect your Nectar card, MyWaitrose card, Morrisons More card and Co-op membership. It’s likely that other supermarkets (and Just Eat) will follow suit.

In some cases, you get member prices by linking your card.

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Shopping experience & cost

Reduced range

You can’t order anything you want. While the number of items has increased over the years, there’s nowhere near the same number of products available as going into store.

This means it’s impossible to do a full shop this way. And even if you only need a few things, you’ll likely have to compromise, opt for more expensive brand names or go without.

Prices are higher

This is the real kicker, although some are now opting to align their prices with the in-store prices, and sometimes there are reduced prices for linking your loyalty app, aligning them more.

I selected some random products for each supermarket, and the prices were all noticeably higher. Here’s a small selection.

All the items I checked cost more on the app than buying direct from the supermarket – and that’s before those extra service charges.

You miss out on special offers

The prices you see aren’t just higher, and even when they have the same prices and in-store, they don’t take into account special offers at the supermarket. This means you’re not just paying the premium added on top, you’re missing out on further savings.

This includes multibuy promotions and sometimes reduced prices in-store.

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Extra discounts

I often get emails or notifications from the apps saying I can get 50% off my grocery order or £10 off, so it’s worth looking for these. Uber Eats sometimes offers a reduced price for fruits and vegetables.

However, don’t think this will make your basket cheaper! Since items are already more expensive and there are extra charges on top, you might find you’re only saving a few quid if anything at all. Plus the reduced range means you might be struggling to meet a £40 minimum order of things you actually need. Don’t be tempted to order things you don’t want or need just to reach a discount threshold.

The pros and cons of using takeaway apps for groceries

Pros

• Quick delivery
• An alternative way to get delivery if all direct slots are full
• Lower minimum order total cost than going direct

Cons

• Limited range of products
• Increased prices
• No special offers
• Extra service charges

Should you order groceries from Deliveroo and Uber Eats?

Zoe’s analysis

I tend to keep my use of delivery apps for groceries to a minimum. For the most part, I’d prefer to take a walk down to my local Waitrose or drive to another supermarket if I want something. However, these apps do sometimes come in handy.

When sick, pet-sitting or downright busy, it can be handy to order something in. The 50% off fruit and veg often offered by Uber Eats does, often, save a fair amount of money, as long as I’m mindful about what I order.

It’s a huge improvement to finally be able to connect your loyalty cards to the apps, too.

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