Waitrose announces change to deliveries in UK supermarkets

The supermarket has permanently extended its rapid delivery hours at 35 stores nationwide following a successful trial during the FIFA World Cup.

Most of the participating branches will now deliver orders placed via Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat until midnight, while select high-demand locations will offer 24-hour delivery to customers.

Laura Burbedge, Waitrose's director of online, said: "The World Cup proved that our food-loving customers value the flexibility of shopping at Waitrose whenever they need us.

"By extending our delivery windows, we’re making it even more convenient to access the delicious, high-quality food our customers love."

(Image: Getty Images)

Waitrose first introduced the extended hours during the tournament to accommodate late-night and early-morning matches, with more than 50 stores in England and Scotland taking part from June 23.

During the trial, orders increased by 17 per cent around England’s game against Croatia and just before Scotland’s match against Morocco.

The supermarket said orders remained high during the extra hours, even after the matches ended.

The extended delivery service is limited to orders placed through the three partner delivery apps and does not affect in-store shopping hours.

Alcohol will not be delivered outside each store’s usual licensed trading times.

Customers can check which branches are included by searching for Waitrose on Deliveroo, Uber Eats or Just Eat.

The rapid delivery service offers thousands of products including fresh produce, ready meals, meat, dairy, toiletries and cleaning supplies.

Orders can arrive in as little as 20 minutes, though availability will depend on location and delivery platform.

Waitrose, which operates around 320 shops across the UK, continues to grow its presence on third-party delivery apps as demand for fast grocery services increases.

Customers wishing to shop in person at participating stores must still do so during regular opening hours.