The Top 40 food, drink and grocery retail apps

Apps are transforming shopper interaction between retailers, suppliers and shoppers. The Grocer selects 40 of the most useful and successful digital tools out there.

Retailer apps

Aldi

iOS ★★★★★ Android ★★★★★

Aldi doesn’t offer online shopping, so this app’s capability is distinctly average. But you can select items, including a good range of daily offers, to create a ‘shopping list’ on the app. DOWNLOADS: 340k

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Asda

iOS ★★★★★ Android ★★★★★

This award-winning and highly rated app includes a memory jogger (of favourites), live fuel prices (from your nearest Asda forecourt) and supports voice recognition, so you don’t even need to type your order. DOWNLOADS: 2.2m

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Amazon

iOS ★★★★★ Android ★★★★★

The daddy of all apps, featuring Amazon’s full range of goods, users can even buy ambient goods through the app’s grocery section, but it will cost you. Also features customer reviews and suggests items based on previous purchases. DOWNLOADS: 4.7m

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Booths

iOS ★★★★★

Allows Booths cardholders to browse the recipe catalogue, make a ‘virtual shopping list’ and review spending history. Features supplier profiles and interviews, plus information on stocked products as well as seasonal offers. DOWNLOADS: N/A

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The Co-operative

iOS ★★★★★

A digital version of the in-store magazine, but with added features including video recipes. Technical glitches mean the app doesn’t always run smoothly. Interactive icons reveal offers and cooking tips. DOWNLOADS: 240k

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Costa coffee club

iOS ★★★★★

Anyone can download this app, but only Costa coffee club card holders can access all the features. The concept of the card is good, allowing users to access special offers from points collected. It also has a map showing the closest store. DOWNLOADS: 22k

Greggs

iOS ★★★★★ Android ★★★★★

This app lists the full Greggs menu (woohoo!) and includes details such as ingredients, prices, nutritional information (yes, really) and product facts. It also has an inbuilt GPS map, which shows users where the nearest store is. DOWNLOADS: 34k

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Lidl

iOS ★★★★★ Android ★★★★★

There’s no option to buy online, but the app features easily searchable daily deals in categories from bakery to haberdashery, which users can add to a ‘virtual shopping list’. The closest Lidl stores are shown on a map. DOWNLOADS: 950k

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M&S

iOS ★★★★★ Android ★★★★★

Packed with content and add-ons, but the volume of options on the homepage makes it complicated to browse. ‘M&S live’ is clever, allowing shoppers to view exclusive content, but only when the ‘M&S live’ logo is shown on ads. DOWNLOADS: 166k

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Morrisons

iOS ★★★★★ Android ★★★★★

A digital version of the magazine with added functions, this app allows users to view special offers, save recipes to a ‘virtual shopping list’, and add recipe reminders for selected dates. But there’s no option to buy online. DOWNLOADS: 1.4m

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Sainsbury’s Mobile Scan and Go

iOS ★★★★★ Android ★★★★★

Only functional in selected stores, but it’s a great concept. While in-store, the app allows users to scan QR codes of products they are adding to their basket so at the till they can pay without emptying it. DOWNLOADS: N/A

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Starbucks

iOS ★★★★★ Android ★★★★★

This app plays on customer loyalty by encouraging users to create their favourite virtual Starbucks drinks, which can be customised right down to temperature. Users can add credit to their Starbucks card and pay from the app in store. DOWNLOADS: 3m

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Tesco

iOS ★★★★★ Android ★★★★★

Easy to use with all the capabilities you’d expect. Users can create a virtual shopping list, browse and buy Tesco’s online offering and add ingredients from recipe suggestions directly into their baskets. Also has a virtual Clubcard. DOWNLOADS: 1.2m

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Waitrose

iOS ★★★★★

Users can add ingredients directly to a ‘virtual shopping basket’ from a wide range of recipes, but there’s no option to buy online. There’s a page of special offers and a ‘chef’s zone’ with virtual meat, fish, cheese and delicatessen counters. DOWNLOADS: 216k

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Whole Foods Market

iOS ★★★★★

Features a range of recipes, which can be filtered by dietary requirements. Offers recipe suggestions based on what users already have in their cupboards. Users select a home store, which allows them to view offers there. DOWNLOADS: 1.4m

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Editor’s pick: Ocado

iOS ★★★★★ Android ★★★★★

This award-winning app is easy to use, intuitive and quick – you can add favourites, and shop and browse offline too, adding products to baskets and choosing a delivery option. Last month a search suggestion function was added. DOWNLOADS: 660k

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Branded apps

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British Lion Quality Egg timer

iOS ★★★★★

As basic as they get, the British Lion Quality egg timer app is the ‘ultimate egg timer’, with a range of timers to make the perfect boiled egg – from slightly runny yolk to firmly boiled. DOWNLOADS: 4k

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Carling iPint

iOS ★★★★★

Introduced in 2008, the Carling iPint is a virtual game. Players slide a pint of Carling up and down a virtual bar, taking care not to let it fall off the side. This app continues to be one of the most downloaded on iTunes. DOWNLOADS: 5.6m

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Coke Zone

iOS ★★★★★ Android ★★★★★

Coke Zone ties in with Coca-Cola’s hugely popular Share a Coke With campaign. It’s easy to navigate, and allows users to ‘surprise a friend’ on social media with a personalised virtual can, which they can then share on Facebook. DOWNLOADS: 40k

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Guinness Storehouse

iOS ★★★★★ Android ★★★★★

Designed to accompany people as they tour the Guinness storehouse in Dublin, this app has a history of Guinness and a floor plan of the tour. It also has Guinness recipes – from Guinness chocolate mousse to Irish mussels. DOWNLOADS: 16k

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Ketchup Craze

iOS ★★★★★

A simple game app featuring Heinz tomato ketchup pouches, players use their smartphone to play Ketchup Craze – a game where users have to dip food into the ketchup using the movement of the device to guide the ingredients. DOWNLOADS: 250k

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Kozel pint finder

iOS ★★★★★ Android ★★★★★

This clever app by brewer Kozel not only helps customers find the nearest stockists, it gives the user a voucher for two free pints when they are within 500 metres of a participating outlet. All that’s required is a postcode. DOWNLOADS: 6k

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Levi Roots

iOS ★★★★★

This Caribbean cooking app is bursting with all of the brand’s character. Users select a recipe, and the ingredients go into a virtual shopping list. Reggae tunes accompany the cooking. The lite version is free, while the full one is £3.99. DOWNLOADS: 20k

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Lynx – get le girl

iOS ★★★★★ Android ★★★★★

This app is clearly aimed at Lynx’s target market of young males. It’s a tongue-in-cheek dating tool for lads. Designed for holidays abroad, the app contains a host of chat-up lines in a wide range of different languages. DOWNLOADS: 3.6k

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My Special K

iOS ★★★★★ Android ★★★★★

Features include a diet planner with recipe book, nutritional information and a diet progress tracker. It also has an eating out guide. Reviews say the concept is good, but feedback from users is that the app has technical faults. DOWNLOADS: 300k

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Nescafé

iOS ★★★★★

With a minimum order of four items, registered users can sign in, browse the range and pay through the app for home delivery. There’s also a range of Dolce Gusto accessories to browse – from espresso cup sets to ceramic travel mugs. DOWNLOADS: N/A

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Oreo twist, lick & dunk

iOS ★★★★★ Android ★★★★★

A simple game that ties in with Oreo’s Twist, Lick, Dunk campaign. Players win virtual points for successfully ‘twisting, licking and dunking’ Oreos into a glass of milk. Players can then compare scores online via Facebook. DOWNLOADS: 1.7m

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Philadelphia

iOS ★★★★★ Android ★★★★★

A simple idea that ties into Kraft’s recipe-based marketing strategy for Philly spread, this app features a host of recipes to help the user make the most of their cream cheese. Shaking the device provides a new recipe suggestion. DOWNLOADS: 800k

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Red Bull TV

iOS ★★★★★ Android ★★★★★

This app is an exercise in branding, drawing on Red Bull’s association with extreme sports and popular culture, and features free videos of sports such as skateboarding and surfing and videos of music festivals and live acts. DOWNLOADS: 3m

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WeightWatchers

iOS ★★★★★ Android ★★★★★

Consumers love this app and it’s easy to see why. In addition to the ability to keep track of the calories in your food, your activity levels and your weight, it also allows you to search more than 150,000 foods, meals and recipe ideas. DOWNLOADS: 700k

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Editor’s pick: Blippar – Pepsi Max

iOS ★★★★★ Android ★★★★★

A visual recognition app that allows the user to view exclusive interactive video. In July, Pepsi Max launched Blippar-enabled bottles as part of its Live for Now campaign, allowing users to view a magic trick by Dynamo. DOWNLOADS: 219k

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Misc apps

 

Booker cash & carry

iOS ★★★★★

A good resource for Booker’s regular customers, registered users can keep track of orders; there’s a spend breakdown, as well as a handy ‘rebate’ tool, allowing shoppers to calculate spend against tax rebate targets. DOWNLOADS: 11k

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i-Menzies

iOS ★★★★★ Android ★★★★★

Existing Menzies distribution customers can use this app. Allows members to make newspaper and magazine orders on the go, check orders and make financial queries. There’s an inbox function, for messages direct from Menzies. DOWNLOADS: 9k

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Love food hate waste

iOS ★★★★★ Android ★★★★★

Users input ingredients from their kitchen into a virtual cupboard, add use-by dates, and – hey presto – the app generates loads of recipe ideas that simultaneously helps the user to cut food waste. Feedback’s not been great, though. DOWNLOADS: 8.5k

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Majestic Wine

iOS ★★★★★

With great reviews from wine lovers, this app allows users to test their knowledge with a quiz, and even has a leader board of highest scores. The app provides information on wine regions and types of wine, as well as offers and promotions. DOWNLOADS: 5.3k

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Mysupermarket

iOS ★★★★★ Android ★★★★★

Powerful and easy to use, this app allows users to compare prices across the major supermarkets, offers cashback vouchers on selected lines and recommends where a basket could be cheaper split between two or more retailers. DOWNLOADS: 155k

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Nectar

iOS ★★★★★ Android ★★★★★

Users log in with their Nectar card details and the homepage shows a range of personalised deals. It also has a store locator on a map, which shows users where they can spend and collect Nectar points. DOWNLOADS: 1.2m

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VoucherCodes

iOS ★★★★★ Android ★★★★★

With almost seven million members, VoucherCodes works with over 2,500 high street stores, restaurants and attractions to offer vouchers promising discounts of as much of 50%. Many offers can be redeemed directly through the app. DOWNLOADS: 500k

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Wine Search

iOS ★★★★★

The concept is good, but the app doesn’t link up with all UK wine retailers and there are technical glitches. Allows users to search for any wine and gives an average price and list of stockists. It’s better set up for vintage wines. DOWNLOADS: 5k

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Editor’s pick: Change4Life

iOS ★★★★★

Simple and easy to use, this app offers healthy recipe ideas and cooking tips, suggesting balanced meal ideas for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Each recipe gives a calorie breakdown and cooking time. It also has a handy shopping list for favourite recipes. DOWNLOADS: N/A

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KEY

Mobile O/S ratings: have been rounded up to the nearest whole number.

Downloads: these are estimates provided by smartphone search engine xyo.net

 

Tell us what your favourite (relevant) app is and why.