It’s been a monumental year for rapid delivery. It saw the departure of quick commerce giant Getir, big moves by the major aggregator apps Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats into non-food and bold new business models being trialled across the sector

Rapid grocer Getir confirms UK exit

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In April, Getir confirmed its exit from the UK, ending weeks of speculation about its future.

The rapid grocer also withdrew from Germany, the Netherlands and the US, to “focus its financial resources on Turkey” where it launched in 2015 and “it sees the biggest potential for long-term sustainable growth”.

The quick commerce player said that international markets generated only 7% of its revenues.

 

Getir franchisees sell off freezers in bid to recoup investment

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Getir’s departure saw UK franchisees facing the loss of more than half their investment – and they began selling off fridges, freezers and branded mopeds, helmets and jackets on online auction sites in an effort to recoup their losses.

Franchisees told The Grocer they faced losing more than half their investment following the quick commerce company’s decision to pull out of the UK. They were told of the company’s departure from UK shores just 24 hours before the company announced its exit on Monday morning.

 

Deliveroo riders readied to take photos of restaurant menus when collecting orders

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In August, The Grocer revealed that Deliveroo had made preparations to ask riders to run reconnaissance on the restaurants from which they collect orders, by taking phone snaps of in-store menus.

The aggregator app updated its courier agreement terms to state that riders may be asked to provide “the capture (using a smartphone camera) of a requested image, such as a restaurant menu, while attending a partner location”.

Deliveroo consulted with the GMB union on the terms of service update, and said riders were free to accept or reject the menu-capture ‘assignment’. 

“There are no plans to ask riders to photograph menus,” a Deliveroo spokesperson told The Grocer at the time.

 

Uber Eats couriers to pick, pack and pay for grocery orders

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Uber Eats in June revealed couriers will soon be picking items from store shelves, as well as delivering the orders.

Hailed as a first in Europe for a delivery platform, the ‘Courier Pick & Pack’ service launch comes after its rollout by Uber in the US, Japan and Australia.

“If you’re a retailer, being able to set up and support e-commerce can be quite difficult,” Susan Anderson, Uber VP of grocery & retail, told The Grocer. “Demand can be spiky, it can hard to resource.”

 

Rapid convenience player Zapp expands in wake of rival Getir’s UK exit

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Rapid convenience player Zapp expanded its senior team and has established new dark stores, in the wake of global retreats by some of its major quick commerce rivals.

Zapp remains a relative minnow compared with surviving rapid grocer Gopuff but has prospered, it says, by focusing on “premium customers” in London. 

The model sees Zapp “steadfast in targeting customers in London who value and are willing to pay for a superior customer experience” and the offer of a “differentiated and premium product selection”.

 

Rapid grocer Gopuff price matching Aldi on more than 50 products

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Rapid grocery delivery app Gopuff started price matching Aldi on more than 50 popular items, in November, including festive favourites, fresh produce and cupboard essentials.

The price match activity covers both branded goods – including Coca-Cola, Kinder Bueno, Walkers and Stella Artois – and non-branded goods, which are in the most part supplied by Morrisons.

 

Did somebody say ‘industry leader’?

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Having helped it smash its grocery targets, Just Eat UK MD Claire Pointon told The Grocer the aggregator was now looking to take the ‘fun, youthful’ brand further into non-food categories. “We’re at the foothills of these things and they will expand,” Pointon said.

In March, Just Eat began a play in health & beauty through a partnership with independent UK chain Pyramid Pharmacy. In May, it partnered with prescription glasses retailer Pop Specs, enabling customers to order prescription, ready-to-wear eyewear in under 30 minutes. In November, Just Eat has made its entry into rapid electronics delivery with an exclusive partnership with audio and tech retailer Richer Sounds.

 

The ‘grocery addict’ driving Uber Eats

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Uber’s regional general manager of grocery and retail, EMEA & UK, Alex Troughton told The Grocer that when Uber Eats introduced grocery to its app during the pandemic, “it was a bet” but that “now, it’s clearly a pivot.”

In the past two years, the number of people who have placed a grocery order on Uber Eats in the UK has nearly doubled. And across Europe there has been 50% growth year on year in grocery orders.

 

Deliveroo launches invitation-only ‘Diamond Plus’ subscription

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In the summer, Deliveroo launched an invitation-only subscription service that will offer members priority delivery, dedicated customer care teams and access to restaurants unavailable to other users.

The aggregator app’s Plus Diamond subscription – which costs £19.99 per month – also offers 10% credit back on orders of £30 and an on-time promise, where if an order arrives more than 15 minutes late customers get their money back.