Britain’s Asda launches one-hour ‘Express Delivery’ service By Reuters

LONDON (Reuters) – Asda on Wednesday became the latest British supermarket group to launch an online service for delivery in an hour.

The grocer, which trails market leader Tesco (OTC:) and Sainsbury’s in annual sales, said its new “Express Delivery” service will offer its full online range of over 30,000 products.

The new rapid service has been launched at three Asda stores this week, it said, adding there is potential to quickly roll out the service to more stores if it proves popular with customers.

Each delivery of up to 70 items will be charged at the flat rate of 8.50 pounds ($11.77) and there is no minimum spend per basket.  

From this month Asda will also extend its rapid delivery partnership with Uber (NYSE:) Eats from 200 to more than 300 stores.

Rapid delivery is the latest frontier in the battle for grocery shoppers’ cash.

A raft of new firms, including Weezy, Getir, Dija and Gorillas, are offering deliveries within 15 minutes of ordering, prompting traditional supermarket groups to rethink their business models.

Earlier this month Tesco extended a one-hour delivery trial as it tests consumers’ appetite for the service.

($1 = 0.7223 pounds)

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