Asda trails tube station grocery pickup in London

Friday, November 22, 2013 - 19:38 by Graham Miller

Supermarket giant, Asda, is set to introduce a novel new scheme that will allow people who commute via the London Underground network to collect grocery items ordered online, when they return to the station nearest their home at the end of the day.

As long as orders are placed prior to 12pm, the customers will find that their items are available for collection at any point after 4pm, according to The Guardian.

At first, just six stations will be included in the scheme, although Asda is planning to roll out the collection idea much more broadly in the capital and across the south-east of the UK, with up to 1,000 new places getting a similar service in the near future.

Collecting orders made through safe shopping online on the same day is not a new idea, with click & collect services popping up at most major retailers. But integrating grocery shopping into the commuting process, without requiring the customer to wander around and pick up products themselves, is an interesting approach.

It also means that people do not need to worry about getting home in time to meet a delivery person when they buy their groceries online, which can be a bit of a problem, particularly if transport delays put paid to your plans.

Asda is attempting to establish itself in the south-east of the country, according to spokesperson, Mark Ibbotson. At the moment, it is being eclipsed by its rivals, particularly in London, but could expand its grip on the market if this scheme proves to be a success.

Asda's actions could well be emulated by its competitors if people latch onto the idea of buying online and collecting groceries from their nearest station on the way home.