Is Online Grocery Delivery Worth the Cost?

Is Grocery Delivery Worth the Cost?

Online delivery is certainly convenient, especially for busy households and people who have difficulty leaving the house. However, delivery charges can add up to £7, or more in some circumstances, to have groceries brought to your door. Is it worth spending an extra few quid on your weekly shop to have your groceries delivered?

We think grocery delivery can offer great value to the average consumer due to the amount of time they save. To quantify this, we compared grocery delivery costs to the value of an hour of a shopper's time, which we estimated using income and work data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS).

As of early 2026, our calculation for the value of an hour has shifted alongside rising incomes. Based on the latest ONS data, the total gross household disposable income (GDHI) in the UK is approximately £1,650,400 million. With the adult population (aged 20+) now reaching 53.8 million, the GDHI per adult stands at roughly £30,676. Dividing this by the average annual hours worked by a UK adult (approx. 1,650 hours) gives a 2026 'value of an hour' of £18.59. This represents a 22% increase in the value of your time compared to 2019, suggesting that saving one hour a week via online shopping is now 'worth' roughly £18.59 to the average consumer. (And if it takes you two hours to do in-store shopping, instead of one hour, that's a value of £37.18!)

Another way to consider the value of grocery delivery is to compare the cost of an annual delivery pass to the amount we spend on groceries each year. Does the delivery pass add considerably to the amount spent on groceries?

NimbleFins recently calculated that the link url="/average-uk-household-cost-food" title="Average UK household food spending"]average UK household now spends £3,877 on groceries annually. When considering a delivery pass (which in 2026 ranges from £40 for midweek-only to £110 for anytime delivery) the cost adds between 1.0% and 2.8% to your yearly shopping budget. For many, this small percentage is easily offset by the reduction in 'impulse buying' typically associated with in-store shopping.

Those able to work with midweek deliveries can reduce the cost of an annual delivery pass by around 45% compared to an anytime pass (where the option is available). Passes restricted to mid-week add 1.02% up to 1.29% to the average household shopping budget, depending on which company you choose. Anytime passes add 1.79% to 2.19% to the annual cost of food.

Depending on where you shop, you may be able to partially offset the cost of a delivery pass by signing up to a grocery credit card, which can potentially earn you around 1% to 2% cash back on your food shopping.

How to Get Free Online Grocery Delivery

Shoppers can get free grocery delivery with only one major grocery chain in 2026: Iceland.

Iceland remains the only major UK grocer that does not offer a delivery pass. Instead, they offer free next-day delivery to all customers who spend £40 or more.

Comparing Online Grocery Delivery Fees

On average, it costs around £5 to get groceries delivered, but costs can vary by store, whether or not you have a pass, the value of your shop and how often you get a delivery.

We've gathered pricing for the top online grocery delivery services to see how they compare. Most services offer one-off delivery for a fee as well as delivery passes that operate like a membership, giving you deliveries for a recurring (e.g., monthly) or annual charge. For those who would rather not commit to a delivery pass, one-off delivery charges and minimum order requirements are compared in the table below.

We also show you which option is the winner (as in cheaper option) for each store—one-off slots or a delivery pass.

Those looking to buy a delivery pass will pay anywhere from £39.50/year up to £89.99/year depending on the company and the type of plan (e.g., anytime vs. midweek only deliveries). The cheapest any day, anytime delivery pass is still offered by Asda. Asda's Anytime 12 Month Pass requires a minimum £40 order for delivery, provides 2-hour delivery slots and will cost you £69.50 per year when you pay annually—the equivalent of £1.34 per delivery if you order once a week or 69p if you order twice a week.

^Morrisons has a £25 minimum to book a slot, but orders between £25–£40 often incur a small basket surcharge even with a pass. ^^Tesco annual prices reflect their 12-month commitment rates; 6-month plans are slightly more expensive per month (£4.99/£7.99).

Not for Everyone

While grocery delivery can help people save time and compare prices to find good deals, grocery delivery doesn't suit everyone. For example, those living close to a local shop might find it more convenient to quickly pop in for groceries on their own time. Or those who prefer to choose their own produce or be inspired while walking down aisles may also like to do their own shopping. Finally, those living alone and on a tight budget may find they don't spend enough on each shop to justify the costs of grocery delivery, or may not meet the minimum order requirements from their preferred grocer.

Following the massive 10.9% CAGR growth between 2020 and 2025—largely spurred by the pandemic—the online grocery market is now in a mature phase. Current retail forecasts for 2026–2030 project a steady growth rate of 10-15% per year, as supermarkets integrate AI-driven personalized shopping and 'Instant Grocery' services (like Morrisons Now and Tesco Whoosh) to compete with pure-play rapid delivery firms.

Here are the grocery delivery services analysed as part of this article: