Tesco is making a huge change to its online orders in a move that has infuriated loyal shoppers.
The supermarket giant is to increase the price of its minimum spend for delivery.
From May 2, shoppers must fork out a minimum of £50 on their orders – up from £40.
In addition, Britain’s biggest supermarket will also raise the surcharge it imposes on Delivery Saver customers who do not meet the minimum spend from £4 to £5.
Shoppers have been left angry at the move, branding it ‘greedy’ given that the cost-of-living crisis has forced British households to tighten their belts.
Tesco shoppers are angry about the increase, insisting the cost-of-living crisis and soaring inflation mean they cannot afford to pay more
The supermarket has put the change down to its Delivery Saver plan, saying it aimed to ‘reduce the cost of home deliveries to your groceries’
The minimum spend for click & collect will remain the same across all stores at £25.
Alerting customers to the change, Tesco announced on its website: ‘From 2 May, the minimum basket charge will increase to £5. The minimum basket charge is added to all orders that don’t meet the minimum basket value.
‘At the same time, the minimum basket value for Home Delivery will change to £50. The minimum order value for Click+Collect will remain at £25 for all stores.’
The supermarket has justified changes to its Delivery Saver plan, saying it aimed to ‘reduce the cost of home deliveries to your groceries’.
It added that the move would help ensure its Grocery Home Shopping operation remained as efficient as possible.
Tesco’s website explained: ‘Depending on which Delivery Saver plan you sign up to, as long as you stay above the minimum basket threshold, orders will be delivered without charge during the times or days outlined in your chosen plan.
‘You can do that once per day for every day your plan is valid. And with the Delivery Saver Guarantee, if your plan doesn’t save you money, we’ll give you an eCoupon for the difference.’
However, shoppers have been angered by the increase, saying that given the cost-of-living crisis and soaring inflation, they cannot afford the new spend minimum.
However, Tesco claimed the ‘majority of our customers will be unaffected by these changes, adding: ‘Our average order value is over £90, well above this new threshold.’
But loyal shoppers vented their fury on social media, with one tweeting: ‘Are you taking the p**s?! First you slash the Clubcard rewards value AGAIN and now I have to spend a minimum of £50 or else I get charged for delivery? Everyone’s trying to SAVE money and you’re pulling ridiculous crap like this?? Absolute greed, disgusting.’
Tesco will have the highest minimum spend for deliveries. For example, Morrisons customers only need to spend £25 minimum
A second wrote: ‘Those lovely people @Tesco are @it again. To hell with you if you only want to, or can only afford to, spend a measly £40 + delivery. We don’t need or want your custom anymore.’
Another stated: ‘So not only are @Tesco reducing the value of their clubcard rewards, and upping their delivery fees (cheapest delivery slot used to £1 now it’s £3) they’re now forcing people who rely on home deliveries to spend an extra ten quid…’
A fourth customer was worried about whether a friend would be able to afford the increase, asking: ‘Will Jean still be able to afford this when the @Tesco minimum spend increases by 25% from £40 to £50?’
In comparison, to other supermarkets, Tesco will have the highest minimum spend for deliveries.
Sainsbury’s requires a minimum spend of £40, or shoppers incur a £7 fee.
Meanwhile, Morrisons customers only need to spend £25 minimum and those below £40 incur an extra £3 charge.
Asda shoppers need to spend £40, but they’ll only be charged £3 if they don’t.
And Iceland customers need to spend a minimum of £40, and those under this incur a £3 fee.
Speaking about the delivery fee increase, a Tesco spokesperson said: ‘To ensure we can continue to serve our online customers as effectively as possible, from May 2 we are making some changes to our minimum basket threshold, the first change we are making in nearly eight years.
‘For the vast majority of our customers, there will be no change to the way they shop.’
Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Asda and Iceland have been contacted by MailOnline and This is Money for a comment on their delivery fees and whether they will be copying Tesco’s move.
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