Tesco Scales Whoosh Rapid Grocery Deliveries, Turning Threat Into Advantage

Tesco has turned rapid grocery delivery from a competitive threat into a growth driver by scaling its Whoosh service, which delivers from stores in as little as 20 minutes and now accounts for an important share of the retailer's online sales. 

Image: Tesco

The collapse or withdrawal of many quick‑commerce startups, such as Getir exiting the UK in 2024, has given Tesco the space to use its large store estate and greater TV advertising to capture fast‑delivery demand. 

Traditional rivals are still active, including Asda (Express Delivery), and Ocado (Zoom), plus Amazon, which just announced an extension of its partnership with Iceland.

Meanwhile, Sainsbury’s last week dropped its Chop Chop service, launched in 2016, opting to continue working with couriers for speedy deliveries through the main Sainsbury’s app.

Morrisons (Morrisons Now), Co-op, Waitrose, and Iceland also offer rapid food deliveries within the hour, often through partnerships with Uber Eats, Just Eat, and Deliveroo.

However, Tesco has the competitive edge for its ultra-fast grocery delivery service, according to investors, on account of its financial strength.

With Whoosh already expanding, and quick-commerce forecast to grow at 10.1% annually in the UK to 2030, Tesco is reportedly targeting a return to around 30% total grocery market share over time. 

Currently, the UK’s largest grocery retailer’s share stands at 28.7% in the 12 weeks to 25 January 2026, according to Worldpanel by Numerator.

Image: Tesco

Whoosh Growing Quickly 

Recently, Tesco has experienced strong growth in its ultra-fast grocery delivery orders and customer numbers, garnering over 250,000 new Whoosh users.

This contributed to an 11.2% uplift in Tesco’s total online sales during the 19 weeks to 3 January 2026, helping the retailer to hold roughly 37% of the UK online grocery market. 

“We have been able to grow the service quickly using our existing stores and seamlessly integrate Whoosh into our overall offering,” Tesco online director Rob Graham told Reuters. 

“We have seen growth in the number of items customers are buying and the number of times they use Whoosh, and our customer satisfaction scores are growing at the same time.”

Rapid Delivery On Upward Trajectory To 2030

Rapid grocery deliveries are rising sharply on the back of consumer demand for convenience, speed, and ease of use.

Major supermarkets are investing heavily as shoppers want ultra-fast deliveries for top-up shops and immediate needs.

UK quick‑commerce was valued at £2.4bn in 2025, according to the Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD).

Double‑digit annual growth is anticipated through to 2030, increasing the category’s share of online grocery deliveries by 11.9% (up from 9.1%).

Tesco’s Whoosh is now available from around 1,600 stores, and reaches over 70% of UK households. 

It uses partners like Uber Eats, Just Eat, and Stuart for the last‑mile delivery, once Tesco staff have picked and packed the orders in‑store. 

Tesco customers can now schedule a Whoosh order, following a recent update to the service.

Source: Reuters