Consumer Corner: Comparing supermarket click-and-collect services - how do they measure up?
Consumer Corner: Most supermarkets now run very slick Click and Collect offerings and we decided to take a look at the pros and cons of each so you don’t have to.
The supermarket car parks are starting to get crowded now as the race for cranberry sauce and goose fat starts to heat up.
With Christmas just around the corner, food is on peoples' minds.
There’s no fear like the journey to a supermarket for the Christmas shop and wondering just how long the queue will be to get in.
That is why you should be clever about your food shop this Christmas.
Stock up now on the items that can hold like the sauces and condiments and use your freezer also.
You can buy your cauliflower cheese now and pop it in the freezer so you can avoid the big rush on Christmas Eve to Marks'.
Also, keep an eye on the deals. You will see them advertised and if you see something on offer pick it up now and save yourself a bit of money. It all adds up.
Another option for the weekly shop is Click-and-Collect, which has become more popular over the last few years. Most supermarkets now run very slick Click-and-Collect offerings and we decided to take a look at the pros and cons of each so you don’t have to.
Firstly a common theme at the moment is that all supermarkets now offer a chance for you to book your Christmas slot. This could be a useful thing to do as the slots will undoubtedly book up fast closer to C-day.
First up is Aldi and the Click-and-Collect system here is very straightforward.
When shopping on a Wednesday night there were slots available as early as Thursday morning and right through the weekend.
Aldi says that all their C&C orders are packed into compostable tray liners to make packing and unpacking shopping more efficient.
Like most supermarkets, they are also quick to point out that their pickers are trained to choose the freshest option adding “just as you would if you were shopping in-store.”
Aldi’s C&C operates by a text message system. You park your car in the designated bay and text a number to say you have arrived.
They then bring your groceries to the car. Also, their online shopping system is very easy to navigate, too.
However, for the luxury of C&C with Aldi, you will pay €6.49 which is a bit excessive given other supermarkets offer the service for free.
Lidl does not offer a Click and Collect service. They say that “to help us maintain our customer-oriented and efficient manner the only way to purchase our goods is by visiting our stores”.
Tesco are the OGs of Click-and-Collect and has been offering the service for a while so they have it well thought out.
You will find easily accessible bays at the supermarkets and you can book your slot online.
Tesco also points out that there are “a number of people involved in your shopping trip, all of whom are dedicated to making sure you receive great service and great quality.”
They say their shoppers pick from the back of the shelves to ensure you get the freshest produce and the longest sell-by dates.
“They also carefully select fruit and vegetables as if they were shopping for themselves,” they point out.
They also add that when packing your produce their team is trained to separate food from non-food, chilled from frozen and heavy items at the bottom to avoid any squashing.
Although the service is free with Tesco, they do say that a minimum €3 basket charge will be added to Click-and-Collect orders that are under €30.
Dunnes Stores also started offering grocery Click and Collect too and they operate a similar system to Tesco and Aldi.
You phone the telephone number displayed on the sign at the parking bay to let the store know you’ve arrived and they bring the groceries to your car.
They say that there is “currently” no charge for their Click and Collect service and you can also use your €10 off €50 vouchers when shopping, also.
They too point out that their shoppers pick the freshest produce, too.
SuperValu also has a very slick Click-and-Collect offering and it is also free of charge.
They have an easy-to-use website for shopping for groceries and you pick the store you want to collect the groceries from and reserve your slot and time.
You can also use your Real Rewards card for C&C shopping at SuperValu which is handy for building up points.
In addition to the Click-and-Collect offerings at the supermarkets there are also options for home delivery and most of the supermarkets offer this service also.
Tesco does various deals whereby you can get free home delivery if you are over 65 years of age and they also offer package deals for delivery service such as a three-month plan where you pay €15 a month for three months.
Delivery is another option too but it will generally be more costly than Click-and-Collect.
