What can you save by shopping for groceries online?

Shopping for groceries online can save you bags of time ... photo by CC user Unisouth on wikipedia.org

Photo by CC user Unisouth on wikipedia.org

It’s easy to overspend when you head to the supermarket, those BOGOF offers or too tempting display stands have us adding more to our trollies than we need. But can you get away from these temptations, save money, time and stop buying unnecessary things? Yes you can by shopping for groceries online.

Online food shopping has been available for over 10 years, however only 20% of people in the UK do their weekly shopping online, research shows that 78% prefer not to shop online and instead head to the store. However by shopping online not only can you save money, but you can save time and also eat healthier, by missing those tempting treats.

According to research in Talk Business figures show that the number of people who do their main food shopping online, is up to 11% in 2015 from only 6% in 2011, but there is still only low take up of these services, despite the benefits. Are people not willing to give up their shopping habits? Do people really like spending their free time shopping in supermarkets? Who knows, but we think those 20% who do shop for their groceries online are onto a winner.

The research was conducted by My Voucher Codes who also asked those who do use online grocery shopping services, which ones they currently use. These guys know how to find you the best deals so there is some merit in this research. They found the most popular grocery delivery services are:

  • Asda – 30%
  • Amazon – 25%
  • Sainsbury’s – 22%
  • Morrisons – 13%
  • Tesco – 9%
  • Waitrose – 8%
  • Ocado – 7%
  • Iceland – 2%

It’s surprising to see Amazon doing so well, although in the UK they currently don’t offer fresh food services, they did announce that the UK and Germany would be next, following suit from the US. The Amazon market place is known for their competitive prices, and although the ethics of the company may hit a nerve with people in the UK you can’t ignore the affordability and ease, of using them.

As with all online food shopping services, you can easily save valuable time, you don’t have to contend with getting to your supermarket, parking and then walking around filling your trolley. You can simply shop from the comfort of your own home. Instead of queuing to pay, you can quickly, easily and securely get through checkout process and then just wait for your delivery slot.

In addition by shopping online, as previously mentioned you can save money by only buying what you need, and actually viewing if any of the offers will save you money in the long run. Plus there is less temptation shopping online, no fancy displays offering tempting treats you just don’t need, your waistline will be thanking you.