Tesco is raising the minimum spend and delivery fee for online grocery orders, a change that will take effect from May 2. The supermarket currently charges a £4 fee for home delivery orders under £40, but this will increase to £5, with the minimum spend rising to £50. The minimum order fee of £25 for click and collect customers remains unchanged.
The changes have drawn criticism from shoppers on the Extreme Couponing and Bargains Facebook group. One user commented: 'The minimum checkout basket is rising from £40 to £50. I know this is easily done for families but I know lots of people on their own unable to do a weekly shop and it's been a lifeline but the rise to £50 will be far too much.' Another said: 'Far too high,' while a third added: 'My budget I've set myself for years has been £40, so this is a bit of a blow for me.'
A Tesco spokesperson said: 'To ensure we can continue to serve our online customers as effectively as possible, from May 2 we are making some changes to our minimum basket threshold, the first change we are making in nearly eight years. For the vast majority of our customers, there will be no change to the way they shop.'
The announcement comes as Tesco expands its Whoosh delivery service, which offers grocery delivery in as little as 30 minutes, to 1,000 Tesco Express stores. Whoosh charges £2.99 per order, with an extra £2 fee for orders under £15. Tesco reports usage of the service has increased by 30% this year.
Comparing Tesco's new charges with competitors, Sainsbury's requires a minimum spend of £40 with a £7 fee for orders below that, while Asda also has a £40 minimum and charges £3 for under that amount. Morrisons has a £25 minimum with a £3 fee for orders under £40, and Iceland requires a £40 minimum with a £3 fee for lower orders.
