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The government has now released its list of clinically vulnerable people who qualify for support during the coronavirus crisis. Supermarket bosses will have received this list and will be in the process of contacting their vulnerable customers to offer them priority booking for online shopping services. If you're a vulnerable person or live with someone who is, you may be looking for advice on what to do next regards grocery shopping. We've rounded up information from five major supermarkets to help…

Sainsbury's

ASDA delivery is one of the many supermarket delivery services in the UK offering slots to the vulnerable in these trying times. However, many many Britons are complaining their delivery slots. Asda seem to release some delivery and click and collect slots around 10am. A couple of days ago I was able to book a sainsburys click and collect mid afternoon. Sainsburys have click and collect available in my area right now, just for saturday, so they may have elsewhere too.

The latest information on Sainsbury's blog says: 'We are giving our customers who are vulnerable priority access to our online home delivery service. So far we’ve been able to identify and prioritise hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people across the UK.

'The government have identified and shared with us the customers who they consider the most vulnerable, and we’re in the process of contacting these customers to offer them priority access to home delivery slots. We are waiting for the databases for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and will contact vulnerable customers in those areas as soon as we are able.'

Sainsbury's has a number to call if you haven't received a vulnerable person letter

How do I book a Sainsbury's home delivery slot for a vulnerable person?

You need to follow instructions from the text message or letter you received to register as vulnerable on the government's website. If you didn't get contacted, you can register at gov.uk, and then contact your GP to request a letter. If you haven't been contacted by Sainsbury's already, then you should be soon.

There is a Sainsbury's phone number to call for the Careline should you need it. Understandably, Sainsbury's is currently experiencing high levels of demand for the service, but the number to call is 0800 328 1700 and is available Monday to Sunday 8am-11pm.

Tesco

Tesco's CEO Dave Lewis said: 'On Thursday, we were given an initial list of 110,000 clinically and socially isolated people by the Government. From these, we were able to match 75,000 existing customers and we’ve already contacted them to let them know we’re making home delivery slots immediately available to them. As we receive more data from Government, we’ll make even more slots available.'

Tesco has contacted its vulnerable customers

How do I book a Tesco delivery slot for a vulnerable person?

To book a slot, you need to go to tesco.com/groceries and log in. Vulnerable customers can book a priority slot with an eight-hour window for delivery.

If you don't currently have an account with Tesco but have received a letter from the NHS because you're classified as clinically vulnerable, you can create an account on their website or call Tesco on 0800 917 7359. The store can then check if you are on the government's list.

Ocado

A representative for Ocado told HELLO!: 'We have received the government’s vulnerable shield list and have cross-referenced it with our customer database to help support those in need. We have already identified our customers on the vulnerable list and reached out to offer them delivery slots with ocado.com. We will continue to do our part as the government updates its shield list.'

Asda Delivery Slots Marked X

You can reach Ocado on the 'Contact Us' section of their website

How do I book an Ocado delivery slot for a vulnerable person?

Follow the instructions you have received from Ocado's correspondence with you. If you haven't heard from the online supermarket, visit gov.uk to register onto the government’s list. Ocado also suggests getting in touch with them using their 'Contact Us' online form.

Asda

The Asda website says: 'We have been working closely with the DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) and some of our fellow supermarkets for the last couple of weeks to understand how to ensure essentials reach those with no support network.

'The data we’ve received from the UK Government has allowed us to email our customers to offer first access to delivery slots, ensuring they get what they need while they stay safe at home. We’re also working on similar programmes for customers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.'

Asda priorities their most vulnerable customers

How do I book an Asda delivery slot for a vulnerable person?

A representative for Asda told HELLO!: 'People who’ve been identified on the government’s vulnerable person list will have received either an email or a letter and all the information they need is in there.'

In terms of booking a slot, Asda's website says: 'During this busy time we'll only show slots for the next 7 days to allow us to prioritise our most vulnerable customers.'

Morrisons

How do I book a Morrisons delivery slot for a vulnerable person?

Like other supermarkets, Morrison's vulnerable customers will have received communication from them about priority online booking. The store is adding a fast track queue system so its vulnerable customers can be prioritised.

Morrisons is launching a telephone ordering service

The chain has introduced other measures to help vulnerable customers too. On March 23, the store launched a new range of food boxes containing grocery and household essentials for home delivery. There are five variations of food box, with prices ranging from £30 to £45.

Morrisons is also launching a customer call centre for orders to be taken over the phone so that people who do not shop online can still order food. In the meantime, their online shopping customer number is 0345 322 0000.

Demand for food delivery slots continues to remain high as more people order their groceries online. We've seen a couple of free slots appearing throughout April, and we're checking every day to keep you informed of where and when more delivery slots become available.

Tesco has increased its online delivery slots by 20 per cent in the last few weeks, adding 145,000 new slots. That takes its total to 780,000, with 'thousands more becoming available every day,' said Tesco CEO Dave Lewis. It seems to be paying off, too, as we've seen an improvement in the amount of slots Tesco has available recently.

In a similar response, Asda has increased its capacity, adding 300,000 food delivery slots for a total of 700,000. Meanwhile, Sainsbury's has almost doubled its grocery delivery and click-and-collect slots, boosting its total from 370,000 to 600,000. Waitrose has also followed suit adding 10,000 new slots and 5,0000 rapid delivery slots.

Online supermarket Ocado, Co-Op and Iceland also claim to be making new food delivery slots available throughout the day as well. Morrisons has increased its limit of three items per customers to four, so that customers can continue to donate to food banks, and has introduced Morrisons Food Boxes where you can select a variety of boxes that include essentials to ready meals.

So which supermarkets have delivery slots available? And which other services are still running? Read on for our extensive round-up of which food delivery services are delivering right now – plus our best tips for how to get a food delivery slot if you need one.

Food delivery: quick links

Grocery delivery

• Amazon Fresh - grocery delivery to select cities
• Amazon Pantry - order everyday food essentials with Prime delivery
• Asda - no delivery slots available
• Co-op - some new delivery slots during the day, restricted to 20 item limit
• Iceland - some new delivery slots throughout the day
• Morrisons - limited slots but food boxes are available
• Ocado - some new delivery slots for priority customers
• Sainsbury's - some slots available, prioritising vulnerable customers
• Tesco - some new delivery slots throughout the day
• Waitrose - some slots available, prioritising elderly or vulnerable customers

Recipe box and meal delivery

• Allplants - plant-based meal delivery, cooked by chefs
• Feast Box - £20 off your first world food recipe box
• Mindful Chef - healthy recipe boxes with fresh ingredients for you to cook
• SimplyCook - Get a £3 trial recipe box to cook at home

Pizza delivery

• Domino's - 50% off pizza when you spend £35 or more
• Pizza Hut - get two medium pizzas and a classic side for £20
• Papa John's - contact-free pizza delivery

Takeaway delivery

• Deliveroo - takeaway delivery from top restaurants
• Just Eat - takeaway delivery from local restaurants
• Uber Eats - takeaway delivery from your favourite restaurants

Alcohol delivery

• Beer Hawk - free delivery on beer orders over £50
• The Bottle Shop - 5% off when you spend £30 with code: PUBSCLOSED5
• The Drink Shop - 20% off selected wine, beer and spirits
• Vinatis - up to 50% off select wines

How to get a food delivery slot

Though you may be reluctant to do so, most supermarkets are requesting that you visit stores in person, if you can, so they can prioritise food delivery slots for elderly or vulnerable customers. Some retailers, such as Waitrose, have closed their websites to new customers to help them do this. Others, including Sainsbury's, have been in touch with loyalty card holders who are aged over 70.

If you're a vulnerable person - or you know someone who is - you can register for support on the government's website. Tesco is prioritising orders for people on the government's vulnerable list, and will be in touch with anyone who is by email.

If you need to order food online, our best advice is to keep checking the website of your local supermarket throughout the day. If you can sign up for an account, do so: this will make it easier for you to find a delivery slot in future. Book your delivery slot first to avoid disappointment, and once you have one, most supermarkets give you around an hour to place your order.

Finally, if you can't get hold of a grocery delivery slot, don't forget there are some fantastic meal delivery services still operating too. Recipe box services like Mindful Chef deliver fresh ingredients to your door for you to cook, while meal delivery companies such as Allplants will drop off meals that have been cooked by their chefs.

Grocery delivery

When will more online grocery delivery slots become permanently available? Unfortunately, no one knows for sure. However, the major supermarkets are working around the clock to improve the supply chain, and while it currently looks like it'll continue to be difficult to book food delivery slots, we have seen slots appear at supermarkets across the country throughout the day.

We're assessing the situation daily, and we'll tell you which supermarkets are offering food delivery slots, if and when we see them.

Please remember to use all food delivery services responsibly. Only order what you need to preserve stocks for others who might be in need.

Grocery delivery: our process

We signed up to all the major supermarkets below and created a shopping basket full of popular goods. Every day, we compare five different locations - London, Leeds, Portsmouth, Manchester and Bath - to provide a sense of what stock is available in each area and whether delivery slots are currently offered. Here's the latest on which supermarkets are offering online grocery delivery today...

Tesco

Next delivery slot: none currently available - new slots are added throughout the day (last updated 22/04/20)

Update (22/04/20): We didn't find any Tesco delivery slots based on our research today, but the supermarket is adding new slots throughout the day so keep checking back.

Tesco has expanded its food delivery and click-and-collect capacity to around 780,000 delivery slots. Our research has found a few Tesco home delivery slots popping up occasionally, but we're not currently seeing any in the areas we're testing. Hopefully this changes as Tesco expands its capacity.

Tesco CEO Dave Lewis reached out to customers in a message two weeks ago: 'We know that it's difficult right now to get a delivery slot for online shopping. We are at full capacity for the next few weeks and we ask those who are able to safely come to stores to do so, instead of shopping online, so that we can start to free up more slots for the more vulnerable.'

Tesco has a decent selection of food items online, but getting hold of them at the moment can be tricky. Most brands are in stock, but eggs, hand soap and pasta are the exception, with some items sold out.

According to Tesco, new food delivery slots are offered up as and when they're available each day.

Hi there, thanks for getting in touch. New slots are opened up each day 3 weeks in advance at around 23:30 - 00:30. I hope that helps. TY - BarrieMarch 24, 2020

How to sign up for an account

Enter a valid email address and password, and confirm whether you have a Clubcard or not. You’ll receive one automatically upon registering if you don't. Fill in your personal details, including your phone number and UK Postcode. You can then select if you’d like to receive offers and vouchers from Tesco or not.

Benefits and perks

Online shoppers can collect Clubcard points and Tesco has begun price matching Aldi on both its own-brand and branded products. A Delivery Saver pass is also available for regular customers, and comes with the added benefit of priority delivery slots during the busy Christmas and Easter periods.

Coronavirus measures and policies

Customers who shop online are encouraged to shop in-store where possible to help free up delivery slots for the elderly customers and those who are self-isolating.

Due to increased demand, Tesco isn’t accepting any new Delivery Saver customers right now either. A restriction of only three items per customer on every product line is in place, and multi-buy promotions have also been removed.

An 80 items limit is now in place for all online orders.

Sainsbury's

Next delivery slot: only click & collect slots available (last updated 22/04/20)

Update (22/04/20): Sainsbury's is still only offering click & collect slots as they continue to prioritise the elderly and vulnerable. We had seen the occasional free food delivery slot appear during our research, but there are none available at this time.

Unless you’re already registered as a Sainsbury’s online customer, Sainsbury’s has paused all new online registrations. Sainsbury's has also almost doubled the amount of food delivery and click-and-collect slots on offer.

In a message to customers, Sainsbury's Chief Executive Mike Coupe has provided more insight into how the company is delivering to the elderly or vulnerable: 'Many of you have written to me to tell me you are elderly or vulnerable and are struggling to book online delivery slots. We are doing our absolute best to offer online delivery slots to elderly, disabled and vulnerable customers. These customers have priority over all slots.'

Sainsbury's revealed that their customer Careline has had 'one year's worth of contacts in two weeks'. Mike Coupe went on to add, 'I apologise to our regular online customers, who I know are feeling very frustrated at not being able to book slots. Please bear with us and I hope you can understand why we feel the need to prioritise elderly and vulnerable customers at the moment.'

How to sign up for an account

Due to the huge increase in online orders, new registrations have been paused for the time being. To sign up for a Sainsbury’s online account, enter your email address and fill in your details on the following page. Once you’ve finished, you can start shopping.

Benefits and perks

You can collect and spend Nectar Points with each online food shop. A Delivery Pass is also available, which can help you save up to £156 per year.

Coronavirus measures and policies

Elderly customers and those deemed as vulnerable will be offered priority delivery slots.

We are continuing to work around the clock to feed the nation in these challenging times, and have taken further steps based on what you have told us in the past 24 hours. Please read the latest from our CEO Mike Coupe here: https://t.co/I0kBAX5fmL pic.twitter.com/Ud6bAVfmMSMarch 22, 2020

Asda

Next delivery slot: none currently available (last updated 22/04/20)

Update (22/04/20): Asda still isn't showing any free home delivery or click & collect slots at the moment, despite the retailer increasing its online capacity to provide an extra 300,000 delivery slots.

In an email to customers, Asda CEO Roger Burnley has shared some information regarding how the company is working to deliver online shopping: 'We're providing our drivers with hand sanitiser and gloves, and making as many online shopping slots available as we can. We're encouraging those that are able to safely shop in person to do so - this allows us to deliver to the highly vunerable.'

Roger Burnely went on to add 'If you are self-isolating or have additional needs, please advise us in the 'other information' section when placing your order.'

How to sign up for an account

Registering is quick and easy with Asda (it says as much on its website), simply enter your email, a password and then enter your delivery postcode and you’re good to go. You can choose whether to receive exclusive offers and the latest info from Asda too if you’d like.

Benefits and perks

Competitively priced and with a Delivery Pass available, Asda online shoppers can save up to £80 and £100 by choosing a 6-month or 12-month pass. Offers are clearly highlighted on the Asda website, so you’re never likely to miss a cracking deal.

Coronavirus measures and policies

Customers are limited to a three item maximum on all food, toiletries and cleaning products when ordering online.

When placing an online delivery order, anyone who is self-isolating is advised to fill in the ‘Other information’ section to advise where their order should be left, i.e. on the doorstep.

If you're self-isolating, Asda has introduced a Volunteer Shopping Card. You can top it up with the amount of money you'd like to spend, and send it to your volunteer of choice who can then do your shop for you.

Ocado

Next delivery slot: none currently available (last updated 22/04/20)

Update (22/04/20): No delivery slots are available at Ocado at the moment due to high demand. The online supermarket hopes to have new slots available soon, however, and priority customers may still be able to find free slots.

The online supermarket has seemingly ditched its queuing system in favour of a daily update that states whether or not delivery slots are available. Ocado is now letting customers book deliveries more frequently and is showing slot availability up to 21 days in advance for priority customers.

Ocado has also brought order cut-off times forward, so customers are encouraged to complete their order in one session to avoid disappointment later. In an email to existing customers on 25 March, Ocado Retail CEO Melanie Smith has said that 'no matter how hard we work, we will not have enough capacity to serve the unprecedented levels of demand'.

She went on to say that 'new delivery slots will be released every day for the coming week, as and when we have capacity'.

It's currently unclear whether Ocado is allowing new customers. If you do not have a delivery booked already, Ocado's website notes that there is 'limited availability over the next few days'.

Thanks, Natalia, we’re doing everything we can to serve as many customers as possible and our teams are working around the clock. Please keep checking back on the website for updates on placing new orders and when new delivery slots will be available.- RubyMarch 24, 2020

How to sign up for an account

You can sign up to Ocado using a Facebook and PayPal account, or simply fill in your details such as your email address and postcode to register.Tick the box if you’d like to opt out of Ocado’s offers, vouchers and gifts before you hit ‘Register’.

Benefits and perks

New customers can enjoy three months free delivery with Smart Pass, and Ocado also offers one-hour delivery windows.

Coronavirus measures and policies

Ocado had to temporarily suspend its service due to high demand, but is now its back online. Customers can only book one delivery slot every seven days to free up more slots for other customers.

Some products are limited to one or two per order, and a small number of bulky items have been removed from sale to make more room in each delivery van. The company has shared how stockpiling has affected its service during the coronavirus outbreak.

Anytime Smart Pass members who joined before 2020 will be placed in a temporary priority queue so they can book a delivery slot each week. Ocado will send an email and text message between the hours of 09:00 and 17:00 to give members access to the queue.

We know our service has never been as important to the daily life of the country, and we want to keep you informed.This simple infographic explains why and how stock-piling food has affected our service and why putting limits on certain products is fair for everyone. pic.twitter.com/hU1A879KLVMarch 22, 2020

Morrisons

Next delivery slot: delivery slots are limited but you can order food boxes (last updated 22/04/20)

Update (22/04/20): Morrisons' website states that there is only a limited amount of delivery slots available again today. Morrisons has implemented a queuing system, which is for customers who wish to edit an order already placed and with a delivery date outside 72 hours.

How to sign up for an account

To sign up for a Morrisons online account, firstly enter your postcode to check if Morrisons deliver in your area. Once you’re given the all clear, enter your details and a password to register. You can also receive tailored offers, coupons and communications from Morrisons.

Benefits and perks

You can use a Facebook account to sign in, and Morrisons Quick Shop fills your trolley with the top things you might be wanting to buy with a single click. A Delivery Pass is also available with regular choices for those looking to do their weekly shop online.

Coronavirus measures and policies

Orders must be finalised 48 hours before delivery. Morrisons are working on introducing a number of measures to help reduce the amount of substitutes and missing items that some customers are encountering with their online food shops:

Hi! Sorry about that. We are experiencing a high demand at the moment which is causing the lack of availability & delivery slots. We're introducing a number of measures to ensure our customers can get the products they need and will communicate these when we can - MattMarch 24, 2020

Morrisons' £35 food box delivery

Three weeks ago Morrisons launched a food box delivery service that aimed to supply customers who can't get to the shops with essential items. 'A Morrisons Food Box could be a real help if you can’t currently get to a store to stock up on essentials,' says the site. 'We will deliver a box of selected food and household items straight to your door.

Morrisons' food box delivery service currently has good availability for delivery slots. The company says it is 'doing everything we can to increase capacity' - and we'll keep you informed with the current situation.

Asda Delivery Slots Released

Waitrose

Next delivery slot: none currently available - but new slots are added each day (last updated 21/04/20)

Update (21/04/20): Waitrose delivery slots are still either fully booked or unavailable, and the supermarket isn't showing any delivery or click & collect slots that we can see. The supermarket is still prioritising the vulnerable and elderly first and foremost.

Customers are advised to check back each day as new slots are added daily and to only book one slot per week.

Waitrose is still accepting new customer registrations and you can amend or cancel existing orders.

How to sign up for an account

Signing up to Waitrose is simple - just fill in your details, such as your address and contact number, then click ‘next’ and you can start shopping straight away.

Benefits and perks

Waitrose has a number of attractive introductory offers, including a £30 saving on your first three online grocery shops. The website also includes hundreds of recipes and lists the ingredients so you can quickly add them to your basket.

Coronavirus measures and policies

The company has paused its online voucher codes along with any offer incentives until further notice. Some products have are restricted for a limited time, with customers only allowed to buy a maximum of two packets of toilet roll and three of any specific grocery item.

Entertainment products are also no longer available to order online for the foreseeable future. Substitutions for online orders cannot be returned to your driver if they have been handled, and drivers will not enter homes.

All online deliveries will be bagged as well to make them easier to collect quickly.

Meal delivery

Asda Delivery Slots

Asda Delivery Slots Xmas

Mindful Chef: healthy recipe boxes, frozen meals and smoothie delivery

If you can't get a grocery delivery slot, try healthy recipe box company Mindful Chef. You can choose a meal from a number of healthy recipes on the site, and they team will deliver all the fresh ingredients for you to cook at home. Alternatively, you can order from their chef-prepared frozen range. Browse Mindful Chef recipe boxes

Allplants: Save 12% on plant-based meal delivery when you subscribe

Allplants delivers 100% plant-based meals that have been cooked by the team's chefs. They deliver them frozen to your door - all you have to is heat them up and you have a fresh meal in minutes. There are over 22 recipes to choose between, and if you subscribe to the service you can save 12%. Browse meals at Allplants

Pizza delivery

Domino's: Get up to 50% off pizza + contact-free delivery Domino's changes its deals depending on which part of the UK you live in - however, plenty of stores around the UK are currently giving you your pizza up to half price when you spend over a certain amount. To see the latest Domino's deals in your area, just enter your postcode information and you'll see all kinds of savings available. Plus, you can get contact-less delivery if you order and pre-pay online.

Pizza Hut: 2 medium pizzas and a classic side for £20 You can pick up two medium pizzas and a classic side for just £20 at Pizza Hut - or you can upgrade to large for just £2 extra. There are loads of other Pizza Hut deals to take advantage of, as well - just stick your postcode in and Pizza Hut will let you what's on offer near you. As with Domino's, Pizza Hut is doing contact-less delivery too.

Alcohol delivery

The Bottle Club:5% off alcohol when you spend £30 with code: PUBSCLOSED5

Alcohol delivery service The Bottle shop is still open - and you get a 5% discount until the end of April with our code: PUBSCLOSED. It's not valid on limited editions, but everything else goes: wine, beer, cider, whisky and more. Offer ends: 30 April 2020

Amazon UK: Browse all wine, beer and spirits Amazon sells a wide range of alcohol - you can choose between wine, beer, spirits, cider, sake and more. Also, if you have Amazon Prime (you can sign up for a free Prime trial if not) you'll have access to Prime delivery, which means you should get your alcohol delivery in no time.

Asda Xmas Delivery Slots 2020

The Drink Shop: 20% off selected wine, beer and liquors The Drink Shop is still open for orders right now - and the alcohol delivery service is even running a variety of offers. For example, you can get 20% off some selected alcohol this month. There's loads of lagers, ciders, wines, spirits, mixers and everything in between to browse.

Vinatis: Save up to 28% on select bottles of wine Wine retailer Vinatis is offering free wine delivery on all orders over £150, and we've seen price drops of up to 28% on select bottles of wine over in a flash sale recently too. There are plenty of whites, reds, roses and sparkling wines in stock today, and you can get a £5 off voucher if you sign up for the company's newsletter.

Asda Delivery Slots Xmas

Beer Hawk: Free delivery on beer orders over £50 Beer delivery service Beer Hawk is an excellent choice if you want to stock up on beer. Plus, they team is donating £1 of every beer delivery order to support hospitality workers affected by pub and bar closures brought about by the COVID-19 crisis - which is reason enough for us to browse Beer Hawk's booze.

Asda Delivery Slots Xtra

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