Sainsbury's today announced it is following in the footsteps of rivals Tesco and Asda by launching a click and collect service for the Tube.
Shoppers will be able to order groceries on their smartphones and tablets on their commute to work and pick them up from one of seven Tube stations on the way home, as long as the order is placed before 1pm.
Tube bosses hope to raise £3 billion by encouraging retailers to take up Transport for London’s vast property portfolio across its 270 stations, including soon-to-be closed ticket offices.
Sainsbury’s grocery vans will hold customer orders in the car parks of seven stations across the capital — Oakwood, Totteridge & Whetstone, Woodside Park, Leytonstone, Loughton, Debden and South Woodford.
A trial by Asda earlier this year proved successful and the service now operates in six stations. Management are negotiating with Tube bosses over plans to introduce the service in all 62 Underground stations with car parks. Tesco followed suit with its own service, which operates at a different six stations.
Sources close to both firms have said several stations are attracting non-commuting customers who live nearby and prefer not to visit the supermarket.
Graeme Craig, director of commercial development at TfL, said: “We’re delighted that Sainsbury’s has joined the click and collect revolution on our network. Across a range of services, we want to work with Britain’s outstanding retailers, both large and small, and Sainsbury’s is a fantastic addition to our list of partners.”
Sainsbury’s will launch its service in the summer, and it will be free until September.
Waitrose is expected to be the next supermarket to start a collection service and is working to install temperature-controlled lockers at stations.
Lockers run by parcel firm InPost and flower vending machines run by Rockflower have also been installed recently, while Amazon is said to be keen to open its own lockers at key Tube and train stations too.
