Sainsbury’s brings back bicycle deliveries with one-hour service

Sainsbury’s is bringing back delivery by bicycle in London – more than 130 years after it first operated the service.

The current version has a modern-day twist, however: customers will place orders through the supermarket’s Chop Chop app and can receive up to 20 items within an hour.

It costs £4.99 and will be available to homes across parts of south and west London from Wednesday.

Sainsbury’s first offered home delivery from its Croydon branch in 1882. Orders were originally delivered by horse and cart or by hand.

Bicycles and tricycles were phased in around the turn of the century and the first van, a Model T Ford, was bought in 1915.

Sainsbury’s head of digital and technology, Jon Rudoe, said the service is ideal for forgotten items or emergency goods if shoppers can’t leave their homes or have invited guests on the spur of the moment.

It will make Sainsbury’s the only supermarket to offer delivery within 60 minutes.

The Chop Chop system has been tested in Wandsworth and will be rolled out into other areas of London if it proves popular.

The app could pit Sainsbury's against takeaway services like Deliveroo or Just Eat.