More grocery stores to work closely with rapid delivery services

Grocery stores like Jumbo and Albert Heijn are increasingly partnering with delivery services as consumer habits are changing, according to Nu.nl. Ordering groceries to be delivered via an app became a popular option during the coronavirus pandemic.

Jumbo will offer customers the option to get their groceries delivered by the service Gorillas, for example. The supermarket chain SPAR is collaborating with the delivery service Deliveroo in more and more cities in the Netherlands. During the next three months, they will conduct a trial program in Almere, Amsterdam, The Hague, Enschede, Groningen, Leiden and Maastricht. Albert Heijn is also growing its partnership with Thuisbezorgd and Deliveroo for grocery delivery.

"Consumers have designed their lives differently," retail expert Michel Kregel told NU.nl. "We have no desire or time to go to the supermarket for a few groceries. In addition, people also want to have necessary products delivered quickly."

Delivery services Gorillas, Flink and Getir all appeared to cater to customers during the pandemic. This follows the international trend of grocery delivery, and stores are beginning to see it as an essential part of service, said Frank Quix, director of retail consultancy Q&A. Meanwhile, Kregel predicted a growing professionalization of grocery delivery as supermarkets begin to gather data on customers, according to Nu.nl.