Waitrose is turning late-night grocery access into a permanent service for 35 UK locations. The retailer is also launching its first airport-based food outlet at Heathrow Terminal 2.
The 17% surge during the FIFA World Cup trial
Waitrose is formalizing a convenience-first strategy after testing consumer appetite for late-night shopping during major sporting events.. The retailer's decision to make rapid delivery permanent at 35 locations stems from a successful trial conducted during the FIFA World Cup in June and July.
As the report notes, the supermarket observed a 17 per cent increase in orders during England's match against Croatia. This spike in demand, which also occurred ahead of Scotland's game against Morocco, proved that customers wanted access to groceries during unconventional hours. This trend of "event-based" shopping has become a cornerstone for modern retailers looking to capture the late-night demographic.
Midnight deliveries via Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Just Eat
The expanded service allows customers at 35 UK locations to receive groceries in as little as 20 minutes. These rapid deliveries are facilitated through third-party platforms including Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Just Eat, rather than through Waitrose's own fleet. While the delivery windows now extend to midnight or even 24/7 in some areas, the physical Waitrose stores themselves will not change their standard operating hours.
Waitrose director of online Laura Burbedge stated that the World Cup demonstrated how much "food-loving customers value the flexibility" of the service. However, customers should note that alcohol deliveries remain subject to local licensing laws, meaning the 24/7 availability does not apply to all product categories. By leveraging third-party apps, Waitrose avoids the logistical overhead of managing its own late-night driver fleet while still capturing the revenue from late-night cravings.
Targeting 20 million passengers at Heathrow Terminal 2
Beyond the digital delivery space, Waitrose is making its first foray into airport retail with a new food-to-go concept at London's Heathrow Terminal 2. This move targets the massive volume of travelers passing through the terminal, which serves approximately 20 million passengers annually. The outlet focuses on high-speed, high-quality options such as sushi, wraps, and salads, alongside premium items from the Waitrose No. 1 range.
The retailer's presence at Heathrow is part of a larger partnership with Lagardère Travel Retail and Relay. According to the report, Waitrose plans to take over four Relay stores within Terminal 2 by the end of 2026, including both airside and landside locations. Charlotte Di Cello, Waitrose Chief Commercial Officer, emphasized that this is a vital step in growing the brand within high-traffic environments.. The first upper-level airside store is already operational, running seven days a week from 5am to 10pm.
Will the Heathrow model expand to other UK airports?
While the expansion into Heathrow Terminal 2 is a significant milestone, several questions remain regarding the long-term scale of this travel-retail strategy.. It is currently unclear if Waitrose intends to bring its food-to-go concept to other major hubs like Gatwick or Manchester. Furthermore, while the 35-store delivery expansion is a major step,the source does not spceify if there is a timeline for rolling these 24/7 windows out to the rest of the company's 320 UK stores.
Comments 0