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"UK online grocery is firmly established, with growth driven by evolving convenience, technology and mission-led fulfilment."
Michael Oliver, Senior Retail Analyst
The UK online grocery market has moved beyond its pandemic surge into a stable phase of everyday use. Valued at £27.1bn in 2025 (12% of total grocery sales), it is now a mainstream channel shaped by routine time pressure rather than emergency adoption. Steady 4-5% growth reflects how firmly online grocery is embedded in busy household lives.
One of the clearest consumer signals is how expectations of convenience are changing. Around 65% of online grocery shoppers say they would accept slower rapid delivery if it meant access to a wider, more useful range. This challenges the idea that speed alone drives value and highlights a growing focus on basket completeness and relevance.
This shift marks a clear change in industry dynamics. Online grocery is increasingly mission-led, with shoppers switching between full shops, mid-week top-ups and rapid orders depending on need. Growth now depends on how well retailers support everyday household tasks such as meal planning, restocking and last-minute fixes, rather than simply expanding online access.
The biggest opportunity lies in helping households do more in one place. Clearer navigation, stronger cross-category relevance and curated mission-based bundles can lift frequency and engagement. The main risk is failing to meet rising expectations around reliability and ease, which could limit online grocery’s role as a core household utility.
This Report includes both market and consumer data around the retailing of grocery products online.
Our market size for online grocery includes:
It excludes:
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We’ve found it so useful working more closely with Mintel. They helped support our recent flagship event for our top suppliers by providing a really unique viewpoint on the future of online retailing.
Nick Carroll from their Retail Team was also an excellent panelist, sharing useful and actionable consumer insights. We definitely look forward to working with Mintel again on future projects.
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