Ocado ramps up quick commerce push as it starts rolling out same day delivery slots in UK

Ocado is launching same day delivery slots in select UK areas. In an email to customers, the online grocery retailer said: “You can now order with your morning cuppa and we’ll deliver before dinner.”

It added: “It’s perfect for when you’ve run out of milk. Oh, and you forgot to get the tinned tomatoes for tonight’s lasagne. Come to think of it, you could do with some more washing up liquid and the loo roll is looking dangerously low…All you have to do is look out for a same day slot when you shop. But hurry - last orders for these slots is 1.30pm and they’ll go as fast as the last handful of popcorn on movie night. And when they're gone, they're gone.”

The slots are currently free for customers’ Smart Pass deliveries. For those who aren’t signed up to Smart Pass, standard hour-long slots vary in price from £6.50 to £7.50, and Ocado also offers cheaper options for its four-hour slots. The latter are currently included with Smart Pass, so there is no additional charge.

A standard £40 minimum spend applies, though there may be additional charges such as small order fees.

The move builds on Ocado’s Zoom offering, which provides on demand delivery with a minimum spend of £15, and competes with the likes of Tesco Whoosh and Amazon Now.

Ludicrous statements

In 2024, Ocado Group Chief Executive Tim Steiner said he doubted that the “immediacy premium market will ever be as large as the big basket market”.

This was due to the price and premium that came with rapid delivery, he argued.

“I remember Gorillas saying that they were going to be bigger than Ocado Retail by the first half of 2022 and I don’t think they got much beyond 2% of Ocado Retail’s size by the time it left the market. There were ludicrous statements being made,” Steiner commented.

The Zoom service had “probably another 12 to 18 months of development to really make it into the product I’d like to see it and to really make it work brilliantly”.

“It’s very good today from a shopper’s perspective. It’s got a bit of work to do from an automation perspective and an ease for the people that operate it, both the courier types and the operators inside Zoom.”

“I think we’ve got an interesting future, I just don’t think that the immediacy premium market will ever be as large as the big basket market. I’m pleased we’re in it because we are learning and we’re continuing to improve,” Steiner concluded.

2026 RTIH Innovation Awards

On demand delivery will be a key focus area at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards are now open for entries and celebrate global retail technology innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Our winners will be revealed at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London on Wednesday, 4th November.

Check out our 2025 winners here.

Our 2025 hall of fame entrants were revealed during a sold out event which took place at The HAC on 16th October and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by award winning comedian, actress and writer Tiff Stevenson.

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “This is the awards’ fifth year as a physical event. We started off with just 30 people at the South Place Hotel not far from here, then moved to London Bridge Hotel, then The Barbican, and last year RIBA’s HQ in the West End.”

“But I’m conscious of the fact that, to quote the legend that is Taylor Swift, You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby. So, this year we’ve moved to our biggest venue yet, and also pulled in our largest number of entries to date and broken attendance records.”

He added: “This year’s submissions have without doubt been our best yet. To quote one of the judges: The examples of innovative developments across both traditional and digital retail spaces were truly remarkable.”

Congratulations to our winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Tiff Stevenson, and all those who attended our 2025 gathering.