Supermarket shopping doesn't have to be taxing

Oct 4 2011 Advertisement Feature

Shopping can be a necessary evil or a regular hobby. Whilst many of us can happily spend hours browsing in high street shops trying on outfits, sniffing out the latest perfume ranges or adding to an ever-growing collection of naughty-but-nice shoes, when it comes to grocery shopping, there appears to be a universal agreement: food shopping is boring.

Of course, food shopping has evolved considerably in recent years - the habitual ferrying around between grocery stores, butchers and fish-mongers has been condensed into the one-stop-shop destination of the supermarket, where you can find anything from cleaning products to the latest DVD releases.

And now, thanks to the internet, people are increasingly doing their weekly food shop online, avoiding the queues and travel associated with the more traditional supermarket. 

E-commerce is now a huge business, and in July 2010 alone, online sales grew by 18%. Statistics have indicated that consumers in the UK spent £30 billion and £38 billion shopping online in 2008 and 2009 respectively, with projected figures for 2011 showing an even greater increase - UK shoppers are expected to spend a whopping £50 billion online.

So, does this signal the end of the conventional supermarket as we know it? The simple answer is: probably not.  Buying online has the added advantage of convenience and delivery, but many people still find a simple pleasure in cruising the supermarket aisles and picking fresh products for themselves.
For a convenient way to stock up your fridge, try Waitrose's online supermarket - all the same quality products at the click of a mouse.