Groceries giant Sainsburys is using bikes to deliver its goods through the Chop Shop operation it widened across London last month. This is the first time Sainsburys has used bikes in its 116 years of operation.

With the Chop Shop app, shoppers will be able to order up to 20 items per delivery.

The delivery, costing around £4.99, will be made within the hour by cargo bike. As part of the roll out across central London, Sainsburys has recruited around 40 shoppers and cyclists to run the scheme. It is limited only to iPhone users for the time being though an Android version is in the pipeline.

The supermarket chain has explained that the service is particularly aimed at people who have forgotten to get something during the normal delivery process, though people can order for a range of reasons as they so choose.

The service is now operating over 35,000 postcodes out of its stores in Pimlico and Wandsworth. For the moment this service makes Sainsburys the only grocer to offer delivery within the hour.

While Sainsburys has been investing in the Home Retail Group, it appears that rivals Morrisons have overtaken Sainsburys to be the second biggest listed supermarket by group value.

A 1.66p fall from Sainsbury’s to 230.34p made the difference. Sainsburys’s £5 billion value is now smaller than the  £5.1 billion market capitalisation of Morrisons, up 0.4p at 218.1p.

Sainsbury’s has missed out on the rally enjoyed by Tesco and Morrisons this year as investors bet on a turnaround for the pair, but remain sceptical about Sainsbury’s £1.4 billion swoop for Argos owner Home Retail amid a price war with discounters Aldi and Lidl.

 
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