Your online grocery shopping guide

Posted 2 months ago

This handy guide will talk you through your options

Getting groceries delivered is one of the best way to get all the supplies you need.

Where to shop

You can order groceries to be delivered to your flat directly from Asda, Tesco, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s*, Iceland and Waitrose*. You need to book in advanced but can book slots for the same day (if available) and up to a few weeks in advanced.

You can also order from Co-Op, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Aldi and Waitrose on third party app Deliveroo, as well as Sainsbury's and Asda on UberEats. The selection is more limited, but orders are delivered within the hour and do not need to be booked in advanced.

You can also get same day delivery from Morrisons on Amazon with a Prime (or Student Prime) account.

* Not currently available for our Dumfries residents.

Top tips

  • Be ready for your delivery If you order directly from a supermarket you will normally be given a 1-2 hour delivery window. Often you will get email or text updates too, and some supermarket apps allow you to track the delivery driver when they’re near. You can also track your delivery on third party food apps such as Deliveroo and UberEats. Remember to be ready and listening out for your buzzer or phone when they’re due.
  • Order to the correct address At most residences you will need to order your delivery directly to your flat using the address and room number you receive when you arrive. Sometimes the auto filled addresses aren’t quite right (e.g. they say flat 2/1 instead of Flat C) – just put your correct flat number/letter in the delivery instructions.  
  • Be mindful of what you buy It can be really tempting to take advantage of all the bulk food bargains but please be mindful of the space you have. If you are sharing a fridge or freezer make sure everyone is getting a fair share of the space. If you want to keep things cheap, you could arrange a joint shop with flatmates where you all eat similar meals for the week.
  • Beat the minimum spend Is the minimum spend for delivery too expensive for what you need? You could share your delivery with a flatmate. You could also consider buying things everyone uses and have your flatmates chip in, such as toilet paper and dish soap (make sure you get everyone’s permission first).
  • Let us know if you are struggling to get food delivered If for any reason you are unable to source food, please contact your Site Office (8am-6pm Monday to Friday) or Residence Life Team (6pm-8am Monday to Friday and 24 hours at weekends) by phone as soon as you can. Their details can be found here.
  • Most supermarkets now use loyalty schemes to entice shoppers with discounts and offers. Whilst this can be beneficial, it has led to accusations of two-tier pricing so, if you are not a member of one of these schemes, it is useful to shop around and maker sure you are getting the best deals. Which? have more information on the various schemes along with a comparison chart to help you find the best deals for you.

Deliveries direct from supermarkets (book in advance)

ASDA

WebsiteAndroid appIOS app

Minimum order: You can make an order for any amount but if it is less than £40 you will pay a minimum additional charge of £3.

Payment methods: Debit and Credit cards (Mastercard, Delta, Maestro, Visa Electron, Solo American Express), eVouchers and Asda Gift Cards.

Delivery window: Same day and up to two weeks in advanced.

Delivery times: 6am to 11pm Monday to Sunday.

Delivery fees: They depend on the time slot you choose and range from £1.50 up to around £8. Regular customers can also purchase a Delivery Pass to take advantage of discounted rates.

Product ranges: Groceries, health and beauty, homeware – kitchen bedroom and bathroom items, electricals, entertainment – books, games, music, films, stationary.

Loyalty scheme: No loyalty scheme for groceries.

Student discount: No

Asda shopping guides: How to shop 

Tesco

Website, Android app, IOS app

Minimum order: You can make an order for any amount but if it is less than £450 you will pay a minimum additional charge of £5.

Payment methods: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Maestro, Visa Debit, Clubcard Plus, Tesco Bank credit and debit cards.

Delivery window: Same day and up to three weeks in advanced.

Delivery times: Delivery slots are usually from 8am-11pm Monday to Friday, 9am-11pm on Saturdays and 9am-10pm on Sundays, although some stores offer 6am and 7am slots.

Delivery fees: £3 - £7. Regular customers can also purchase a Delivery Saver Pass to take advantage of discounted rates.

Product ranges: Groceries, health and beauty, homeware – kitchen bedroom and bathroom items, electricals, entertainment – books, games, music, films, stationary.

Loyalty scheme: Tesco Clubcard – earn points in store and online.

Student discount: No.

Tesco shopping guide: FAQs

Morrisons

Website, Android app, IOS app

Minimum order: £25.

Payment methods: Visa, Mastercard, Visa Debit, American Express. They do not accept Maestro, Solo or Electron, cash or cheques.

Delivery window: Next day and up to three weeks in advanced.

Delivery times: 8am to 11pm Monday to Sunday.

Delivery fees: They depend on the time slot you choose and range from free to around £6. Regular customers can also purchase a Delivery Pass to take advantage of discounted rates.

Product ranges: Groceries, health and beauty, homeware – kitchen bedroom and bathroom items, stationary.

Loyalty scheme: Morrisons More – earn points in store and online, plus get student only offers.

Student discount: Some discounts and student only offers through Morrisons More.

Morrisons shopping guides: FAQs

Morrisons food boxes: Set boxes of food with a set price, delivered on a chosen date or next day if you order before 3pm. They have meat, vegetarian, vegan and gluten free essentials boxes for £35. 

Amazon same-day delivery: Morrisons on Amazon with a Prime (or Student Prime) account.

Sainsbury's

WebsiteAndroid appIOS app

Minimum order: £40.

Payment methods: Nectar, Visa, Mastercard, Maestro, American Express.

Delivery window: Next day and up to a week in advanced.

Delivery times: 7:30am to 11pm Monday to Sunday.

Delivery fees: If you spend under £40 you will be charged £7 for delivery. Regular customers can also purchase Anytime or Midweek Delivery Passes to take advantage of discounted rates.

Product ranges: Groceries, health and beauty, homeware – kitchen bedroom and bathroom items, electricals, stationary.

Loyalty scheme: Nectar – earn points in store and online.

Student discount: No.

Sainsbury’s shopping guides: First time shopper and online shopping features

Iceland

Android app: No app.

IOS app: No app.

Minimum order: £25.

Payment methods: Mastercard, Visa Credit, Visa Debit (UK registered cards only), Iceland Bonus Card, electronic vouchers, PayPal. They do not accept cash, cheques, in-store or till printed coupons, or gift vouchers.

Delivery window: Next day and up to a week in advanced.

Delivery times: 6am to 9pm Monday to Saturday, 9am to 6pm Sundays.

Delivery fees: £2 if order is between £25-£35, free if over £40.

Product ranges: Groceries and toiletries.

Loyalty scheme: Iceland Bonus Card – earn points in store and online. 

Student discount: Sometimes offered through Student Beans.

Iceland shopping guide: FAQs

Waitrose

WebsiteAndroid appIOS app 

Minimum order: £40.

Payment methods: Partnership Card, John Lewis Business Card, Visa Debit, Delta, Maestro UK, Mastercard, Visa Credit, Solo, American Express, gift vouchers.

Delivery window: Next day and up to two weeks in advanced.

Delivery times: 10am to 9pm Monday to Saturday, 10am to 8pm Sundays.

Delivery fees: Free.

Product ranges: Groceries, health and beauty, homeware.

Loyalty scheme: myWaitrose – no points to earn but you can win freebies, savings and prizes.

Student Discount: No.

Waitrose shopping guide: Customer service FAQs

Waitrose Rapid: Not available yet in Glasgow.

Deliveries within an hour from third party food apps

Deliveroo

Deliveroo is a food delivery service mostly featuring restaurants and take-aways. You can now order from the supermarkets Co-Op, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Aldi and Waitrose on Deliveroo.

WebsiteAndroid appIOS app 

Minimum order: It depends on the shop or restaurant, but some have no minimum order.

Payment methods: Credit and debit cards, Google Pay, Apple Pay, gift cards.

Delivery window: Most people place orders to be delivered as soon as possible, on average in under 30 minutes, however you can schedule deliveries for up to 24 hours in advanced.

Delivery times: From early morning until late, 7 days a week, depending on the shop or restaurant. If you can’t see a shop or restaurant it is likely closed or unable to deliver at that time.

Delivery fees: Delivery fees depend on the shop or restaurant and how far away it is. There is also a small service charge, and you can be charged a small order fee by some restaurants if you do not meet the minimum spend.

Student discount: No but there are always discounts for new users.

Deliveroo guide: FAQs

UberEats

UberEats is a food delivery service mostly featuring restaurants and take-aways. You can now order from the supermarkets Sainsbury's and Asda using the UberEats app.

WebsiteAndroid appIOS app 

Minimum order: It depends on the shop or restaurant, but some have no minimum order.

Payment methods: Credit and debit cards, Google Pay, Apple Pay, gift cards, PayPal.

Delivery window: Most people place orders to be delivered as soon as possible, on average in under 30 minutes, however you can schedule some deliveries up to a week in advanced.

Delivery times: From early morning until late, 7 days a week, depending on the shop or restaurant. If you can’t see a shop or restaurant it is likely closed or unable to deliver at that time.

Delivery fees: Delivery fees depend on the shop or restaurant and how far away it is, and sometimes you can get free delivery if an order is heading in your direction already. There is also a small service charge of around 10%, and you can be charged a small order fee by some restaurants if you do not meet the minimum spend.

Student discount: No but there are always discounts for new users.

UberEats guide: FAQS