Doing your food shop online has plenty of benefits: you needn’t remove your behind from the couch, there’s far less chance of your stomach dictating what goes in your trolley, it’s all laid out in front of you in a marvellously organised fashion and you can compare items across all the major supermarkets on sites like MySupermarket. All you need is wifi (these Spectrum internet packages might be worth looking at if you’ve just moved into a student flat and need internet asap) and a laptop. Alternatively, you could use a library computer as long as you know the network is secure for checking out.
But who is the best online grocery provider for your edible needs? To help take away the stress and chore of researching, we’ve done the leg work for you right here.
Each supermarket differs in the deals that it offers, as well as the way that the site works. You might want to explore a few options before selecting one, especially if you are living on a budget. So, if you are asking questions like “Which Supermarket has the Cheapest Delivery Service?” then you’re on the right path to figuring out one that suits your needs. Below are our top picks for food shopping online.
1. MySupermarket
“This is not a supermarket”, I hear you cry. No it isn’t but once you see the benefits then shopping with MySupermarket online is a bit of a no-brainer.
You can select from Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Ocado and ASDA (so all the major players). You can then browse all of the usual products that are on offer at the supermarket. You can even select the deals tab which allows you to browse all the deals that are currently available to you.
While you are shopping MySupermarket actually compares the price of your shop across all the stores and if one is cheaper then you can simply just click on it to change.
The money saving doesn’t stop there. MySupermarket scans your trolley at the end and finds you cheaper alternatives. For example if you usually buy economy toilet paper and the deluxe stuff is on offer (making it cheaper) then it will suggest you swap. Who wouldn’t?
Lastly, if you are looking to slim down then there is a calorie checker available.
It’s simply a no-brainer. MySupermarket will help you save money and use the cheapest supermarket and it’s free to signup. Register an account here.
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2. Ocado
Greener than a tree in Spring, Ocado is the Bob Geldoff of online grocery delivery services. And you get 15 off your first delivery, whichever sells it to you.
Their bags are ‘closed loop’ recycled (old plastic bags turned into new plastic bags), which means no new plastic was made and they’re associated with non-profit organisations Peace One Day and Meat Free Monday. The former was established in 1999 by British filmmaker Jeremy Gilley, and the latter is an environmental campaign that alerts people to the damaging effects meat production has on the environment.
They also have an app that allows you to shop at your convenience from your smartphone, but I suspect the eco-friendly part of their business is what’ll be intriguing you more what with the ozone layer and wind farms and what-not. That’s why we love them… saving the environment and saving you money.
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3. Sainsbury’s
Most, if not all students will be aware of Sainsbury’s. They boast of great value for money and have some great products.
Their motto is ‘eat well for less’ and they are looking to help students to eat better food at a lower cost. They have loads of great offers in their online store and you can search for them under the great offers tab. This makes is simple to browse the offers. However, be careful not to buy anything that you wouldn’t normally.
Also, if you get yourself a Nectar card and gather points on that then you can get deals such as free Alton Towers tickets. As online shopping goes Sainsbury’s is pretty standard and the system is one of the easiest to use.
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4. Tesco
Collect Tesco Clubcard points and amongst many other bonuses you’ll save towards air miles: a massive incentive for those who enjoy to travel. Keep a keen eye out for the Booster Clubcard products to up your points. The major advantage to having a Clubcard and shopping online is that you double your points simply by making your own life easier.
Tesco is always running a good deal from discounted products to coupons, perfect for a household of ravenous students always sniffing out a good bargain. Can’t decide where to start? Have a mooch at Tesco’s meal plans for inspiration.
There is also an auto shopping list function where you can type in your whole shopping list and Tesco will then suggest a whole list of products for you. We like this function but it can throw up a few random items which means you will take more time trying to find them in the long run. Try it out here.
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5. Asda
You know the advert, not the bum slapping one of old but the mums comparing receipts from different stores. Well, it’s not much different on the Asda online food store.
The prices at Asda are extremely competitive and the quality is not bad either. However, the user system is quite hard to use and can take a lot of time.
Asda make a big deal about their deals so you won’t be able to miss them when shopping online with them. If you feel like Asda is the one for you then take a look here.
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If you are looking for any discounts on offer from these supermarkets such as 15% off your first shop or 10 off a 40 shop then a simple search in Google could help you. Just try searching for “Tesco discount code” for example. Another site that’s worth a mention is Click Marketplace, an online store bringing you your favourite food and household brands with great discounts.
You could also regularly take a look at our student deals section for the latest supermarket deals along with great cashback deals.
