Living Car Free - Car free deliveries in London

Kind of funny how the supermarkets are finally "getting it". We've (the UK) had electric vehicle deliveries for a year or so now, free loan of a bicycle trailer for shoppers that cycle, pizza deliveries from Dominos by bicycle and now this:


http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tab=wn&q=waitrose+bicycle+delivery&scoring=n

http://www.talkingretail.com/news/10227/Waitrose-begins-eco-bicycle-ho.ehtml

Waitrose begins eco-bicycle home deliveries

Waitrose has begun using “eco-bicycles” and trailers to deliver shopping to its online customers.

http://www.talkingretail.com/a/main/063D8AEA-1B92-11D9-A258-B96F2D727A86/F10DBB94-2E35-11DD-AAA4-8C80081C48CF/DB608BDE-54CB-11DD-AC29-BDFBCCA191CB.jpg

Waitrose bike delivery


The retailer’s branch in Cambridge started using the bicycles this week.

The move is designed to increase the number of delivery slots available without adding to the number of vans on the road.

The specially designed trailer can hold six trays full of groceries and keeps products chilled or frozen for up to two hours.

The bicycles come with electronic pedal assistance.

Retail director Tony Solomons said the Waitrose would look to extend the scheme to other branches if it proved successful.

edit: still more expensive, less satisfying and lower quality food than actually going to the farmers' markets, family greengrocers, small butchers, etc., yourself though.

It's funny that we are getting back to delivering groceries. In Canada, where I hail from, groceries were commonly delivered by the company van until the 1970s. Today, only smaller grocery outfits deliver.

In the US, I think the notion of delivering groceries is like the idea of an alien invasion. It just hasn't dawned on anyone that this is a good way to go. I suspect this is about to change, but for now the only concession is a bicycle rack near the front door.

Delivery by bicycle? I wouldn't expect to see that in the US in this generation.

My local Whole Foods delivers.

I bet either Whole Foods or the new Tesco-owned chain on the east coast will begin bike deliveries within the next 3 years.

It's funny that we are getting back to delivering groceries. In Canada, where I hail from, groceries were commonly delivered by the company van until the 1970s. Today, only smaller grocery outfits deliver.

Most large grocery stores in Ottawa deliver - by van, mind you, not bike.

It's funny that we are getting back to delivering groceries. In Canada, where I hail from, groceries were commonly delivered by the company van until the 1970s. Today, only smaller grocery outfits deliver.

In the US, I think the notion of delivering groceries is like the idea of an alien invasion. It just hasn't dawned on anyone that this is a good way to go. I suspect this is about to change, but for now the only concession is a bicycle rack near the front door.

Delivery by bicycle? I wouldn't expect to see that in the US in this generation.

What happened to milk deliveries? I used to live next door to a milk truck driver. He delivered eggs and juice and a few other things besides milk. Sometimes in the summer he broke the rules and took me along on his route. That was just before I got my paper route. Newspapers used to be delivered by bike, by kids. It seemed like a good way for a kid to earn money with his bike.

What happened to milk deliveries? I used to live next door to a milk truck driver. He delivered eggs and juice and a few other things besides milk. Sometimes in the summer he broke the rules and took me along on his route. That was just before I got my paper route. Newspapers used to be delivered by bike, by kids. It seemed like a good way for a kid to earn money with his bike.


I was one of those newspaper delivery boys. I used the proceeds to by my first big kid bike, a Belgian made balloon tired bike...heavy but durable frame. I haven't been without at least one bike since. As for delivery of milk,etc, it got too expensive. Its much less expensive to deliver 100 jugs of milk to one store than 100 homes. Milk delivered to the home was always quite a bit more expensive than when bought at the store.

As for home delivery of groceries, it may be beneficial if you have no car, but its probably not that great for reducing the use of fuel for transportation. You are still a fuel user. Of course, if your goal is being car free and the store is a long way away, I guess it works. OTOH, if the store, pizza company, or other uses bikes to deliver, that's great.