Late-Night Deliveries Expand
Waitrose Extends Late-Night Deliveries from Over 50 UK Stores During World Cup
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Waitrose is extending its delivery hours to midnight — and in some cases around the clock — across more than 50 UK stores this summer. The move is timed to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is hosted in North America, meaning matches often kick off between 9 PM and 2 AM BST for UK viewers, according to Birmingham Live.
The chain saw a 17% jump in on-demand orders during early England and Scotland matches, with searches for its No.1 pizza surging 1,700% and "World Cup crisps" rising 1,400%, according to The Mirror. Late-night deliveries will run through partners Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Just Eat — not Waitrose's own vans.
Midnight Pizza Runs Drive a New Delivery Strategy
Waitrose director of online Laura Burbedge said: "Whether you're glued to the screen for a midnight thriller... footy fans will have everything they need at hand," according to The Grocer. The expanded hours kicked off on June 23, timed to England's 9 PM BST match against Ghana.
The service covers 50-plus stores. Retail Gazette reports that Waitrose eventually hopes to roll the model out to more of its 320 locations if the trial succeeds. Rapid delivery now holds a 12.8% share of all UK online grocery sales — its highest level ever — driven in large part by the tournament's first week, per NielsenIQ data cited by Retail Gazette.
No Alcohol, No Store Extensions — Here's What Changes
Waitrose has been clear about what the new service does not include. No store opening hours are being extended. And crucially, no alcohol will be delivered during the late-night window. The chain wants to avoid legal trouble under the UK's Licensing Act 2003, which ties alcohol delivery to each store's individual local licence, according to Impartial Reporter.
The deliveries are handled entirely by third-party gig economy workers on Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Just Eat. Labour groups have previously raised concerns about conditions for those workers, but Waitrose is not extending hours for its own employee-owners, per Retail Gazette.
Tesco Shrugs, but Its Own Data Tells a Different Story
Not everyone is leaning into the football frenzy. Tesco CEO Ken Murphy told The Guardian that "the weather effect is the big difference" — arguing a sunny day moves more product than a home nation win. It was a clear attempt to manage investor expectations around summer sales growth.
But Tesco's own numbers undercut that message. Its rapid delivery service, Whoosh, saw a 40% jump in orders during the England vs. Croatia match on June 17, per The Guardian. GlobalData projects the World Cup will deliver a £267.7 million boost to UK retail sales in the tournament's second week alone.
A Salmonella Recall Casts a Shadow Over Match-Day Snacking
On the same day Waitrose announced its delivery expansion, the Food Standards Agency issued an urgent recall of fruit products sold at Waitrose and five other major supermarkets — Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's, M&S, and Morrisons. The cause was Salmonella contamination traced to supplier Prepworld, affecting products including Pink Lady apple and grape pots, according to The National.
The FSA warned that Salmonella symptoms include fever, diarrhoea, and stomach cramps. It urged anyone who bought the affected products not to eat them. The timing — a major food safety alert during the biggest snacking moment of the summer — drew criticism of supply chain standards, per Manchester Evening News.
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