Waitrose boosts delivery hours as World Cup fever drives demand
Ahead of England’s World Cup match this evening, Waitrose has announced that it is extending on-demand grocery delivery hours to meet customer demand following late-night and early morning matches.
While specific times will vary by location, the expanded window will be available from more than 50 stores nationwide in the next four weeks, including in England and Scotland.
Subscribe to TRBMost participating shops will now operate until midnight with some extending their hours to 24/7.
Waitrose said orders during England’s second game against Croatia last Wednesday, and ahead of Scotland’s game against Morocco on Friday evening, rose by 17%.
In addition, its website has seen a surge in searches for foods such as ‘No.1 pizza’, up 1,700%, ‘deli & dips’, up 156%, and ‘World Cup crisps’ up 1,400%.
The retailer plans to roll the expanded service out to more locations if it proves popular with customers.
The slots will be available through Waitrose’s partnerships with delivery platforms Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat.
However, Waitrose shops will not be extending trading hours and alcoholic drinks will not be available during the expanded delivery period.
Laura Burbedge, director of online for Waitrose, said: “Whether you’re glued to the screen for a midnight thriller, need a snack to sustain you through a penalty shoot out or up with the lark for a pre-dawn kick-off, footy fans will have everything they need at hand.
“We’re making sure that whether you need a half-time pizza or a full breakfast spread to celebrate the final whistle, our delivery partners are on hand to keep your fridge stocked throughout the tournament.”
