New World and Four Square trial Uber Eats grocery deliveries

Tuesday, 30 November 2021

Twenty-two New World and Four Square stores are taking part in the country’s first trial of groceries delivered via Uber Eats.

Customers can shop from the fresh, grocery, and household supermarket sections by selecting the “grocery” option in the Uber Eats app. Items can be delivered in under an hour.

Foodstuffs North Island chief executive Chris Quin said the move would increase the accessibility of New World and Four Square.

“We’re always looking for ways to offer our customers the best shopping experience, and in partnering with Uber Eats we’re able to help them get what they want even faster,” he said.

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Normal Uber Eats delivery fees apply, starting at 99c but which vary according to the availability of delivery people.

Uber Eats also applies a service fee: $1 for items less than $10; 10 per cent of the order for orders between $10 and $40; or $4 for orders over $40.

Those without an Uber Pass pay no delivery fee but will still pay a service fee.

By comparison, New World usually charges $15 for its own delivery service of orders up to $199.99 and $10 for orders of $200 or more.

Uber Eats’ regional general manager of grocery and retail, Lucas Groeneveld, said New Zealanders wanted more convenience and faster delivery of food.

New World Metro Queen St operator Steven Yin, whose Auckland store was the first to begin the trial, said there was no clear pattern to what shoppers bought through Uber Eats so far.

“We’re seeing both large and small orders coming through. The top five most purchased items in the first few days of operation were mandarins, avocados, 1.5-litre water bottles, apples and soda.”

Foodstuffs-owned Pak ’n Save is not yet involved.