Christmas delivery slots Sheffield 2021: Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Morrisons release dates - and how to book

After months of rumoured food and drink shortages at shops across the country, and some uncertainty around what the Covid situation will be like at Christmas, it is no surprise that people are aiming to be as organised as possible this year.

Last Christmas saw festivities cancelled, local lockdowns and just one day of household mixing allowed.

But this year people appear to be going all out to make the most of the celebrations, stocking up on turkeys, alcohol and all the trimmings.

With that in mind, the key to making sure you don’t miss out this Christmas appears to be getting your food shopping sorted out early.

According to Martin Lewis’ Money Saving Expert site, demand for 2021 slots has been high at the retailers who have already opened them up, so getting organised in advance is going to be vital.

To help you get your festive shopping plans sorted, this is when Sheffield’s top supermarket chains will open up their Christmas delivery slots - and how you can book them.

Tesco

The UK’s biggest supermarket opened up its Christmas 2021 delivery and Click and Collect slots at 6am on Tuesday, November 16 – but only for those who are a member of Tesco’s Delivery Saver scheme.

This year-round scheme offers shoppers priority booking, the ability to book slots up to four weeks in advance as well as no delivery charges on shops or Click and Collect slots.

The supermarket offers six-month Any Day passes for either £7.99 a month or £47.94 as a one-off payment.

Shoppers not signed up to the Delivery Saver scheme had to wait until 6am on Tuesday, November 23, to access food and drink delivery slots – meaning they are now available, but you will have to be quick to secure one.

Tesco said its delivery and collection dates will run up to and include Christmas Eve.

Sainsbury’s

The supermarket’s Christmas delivery slots went online on Tuesday, November 23.

But as with Tesco, you’ll need to be signed up to its Delivery Pass scheme to be able to access slots from this date.

Sainsbury’s version of the scheme allows shoppers to see delivery slots in advance and get priority during busy periods.

Anytime passes cost between £20 and £60 (depending on how long they run for), while Midweek passes (for deliveries from Tuesday to Thursday) are available for between £10 and £30.

For those unwilling to pay for a pass, the remaining delivery slots will go on general release from November 30.

Unlike most of the other major supermarkets, which are carrying out Christmas deliveries until Christmas Eve, Sainsbury’s currently says its delivery period will run from December 20-23.

If you prefer Click and Collect, Sainsbury’s has already opened bookings for Christmas.

These slots will also be scheduled for between December 22 and Christmas Eve.

Asda

Asda has opened its Christmas delivery slots, with orders set to be delivered up to and including Christmas Eve.

You can boost your chances of getting a slot by buying one of the retailer’s three passes: a £6 per month Anytime pass, a £72 Anytime 12-month pass or a £35 Midweek annual pass.

Passholders can expect recurring weekly slots, next day delivery and priority access to Christmas slots as perks of their membership.

Morrisons

Morrisons was the last of the ‘big four’ supermarkets to open up its Christmas delivery slots for 2021.

All of the retailer’s customers can now book a delivery slot for arrival on or before December 19.

But if you want to book a slot for closer to the big day, you’ll have to join Morrisons’ Delivery Pass scheme.

Starting from £8 a month (or a one-off £65 payment annually) for an Anytime pass, and £5 a month (or £35 annually) for a Midweek one.

Buying one means customers won’t be charged extra for deliveries during busy periods, like Christmas.

At the moment, it is unclear when other customers will have access to delivery slots.

According to Morrisons’ website, those with deliveries booked for December 20 and 21 can alter their orders up to 24 hours before their slot.

But if you book a slot on December 22 or 23, you’ll have to make sure you’re fully happy with it by 23:55 on December 20.

And if you’re having your food and drink delivered on Christmas Eve, you’ll need to make all of your changes before the end of the day on December 21.

Morrisons has also announced that its Christmas Food to Order service (its own version of a Click and Collect scheme, albeit for the festive season) has launched.

Customers using the service can choose from a range of starters, mains, sides, desserts, party food and drinks, including vegan and gluten free options.

A £20 deposit and £20 minimum spend will be required to secure a slot.

Collection slots will fall between December 21 and 24, with 463 stores across the UK offering the service.

Waitrose

Waitrose is the first physical supermarket to have already opened its Christmas delivery slots.

Deliveries will be scheduled between December 20 and Christmas Eve.

But be prepared – the upmarket retailer told The Star’s sister title, NationalWorld, that demand is already high.

Waitrose revealed searches for the term ‘Christmas delivery’ were already up 124 per cent between September 1-20, compared to the same period in 2020.

Those hoping to get a slot will need to be in the vicinity of a Waitrose store and can expect a “small charge” on their deliveries.

Sheffield’s Waitrose is located on Ecclesall Road.

Waitrose does not currently offer a delivery pass scheme but operates deliveries seven-days a week, typically between 6am and 10pm.

It is also offering Christmas Click and Collect slots specifically for its Entertaining Range.

Collection dates will be available between December 20 and 24 inclusive.

Ocado

Online supermarket Ocado - and by extension M&S, whose products it also sells - is the only other retailer to have opened its Christmas delivery slots.

They will be delivered between December 20 and 24.

But if you were hoping to get one, you are likely to be in for disappointment as the retailer’s slots are essentially sold out.

Ocado wrote on Twitter that “demand is up on last year and slots are selling quickly”, while apologising for “any inconvenience”.

However, it added that availability would depend on the location of its customers and the demand in their area.

Ocado also said more slots could become available.

If you do manage to grab a delivery slot, it will set you back at least £9.99 with Christmas prices likely to be higher as the retailer says it needs to be able to recruit more staff.

This fee does not apply if you are a member of Ocado’s Smart Pass benefits scheme.

The loyalty scheme costs between £8.99 per month or £89.99 annually for an Anytime pass, and between £3.99 per month or £39.99 annually for a Midweek one.

But be wary if you are a last-minute Christmas shopper - Smart Pass’s benefits are suspended during Christmas week, meaning full delivery charges will apply.

Aldi

Sheffield’s cheapest supermarket, Aldi, is running a Christmas Click and Collect service from more than 200 stores and has now released its Sheffield slots.

Christmas collection slots are now available to book via the Aldi website, so shoppers can order from a vast range of items online and select a one-hour collection window between the December 19 and 23.

Aldi says shoppers can get everything they need for the ultimate festive feast – including a range of fresh British meats, side dishes and desserts, such as its Specially Selected Roly Poly Turkeys and Goose Fat Roast Potatoes, as well as its award-winning Specially Selected Vegan Festive Wreath and 30 Month Matured Christmas Pudding.

Customers can also order from Aldi’s range of Christmas treats – such as Dairyfine Milk Chocolate Reindeers and Specially Selected Italian Panettone – ensuring the whole family is catered for this festive period.

On arrival at dedicated Click & Collect points in the store car park, customers can have their shopping brought to their cars and loaded into their boots by Aldi colleagues contact-free.

To find out more about booking Click & Collect slots for Christmas, visit the Aldi website.

What are the Christmas delivery times for other supermarkets in Sheffield like Iceland?

Lidl does not offer home delivery or click and collect services.

Meanwhile, both the Co-op and Iceland will offer slots closer to the big day.

Co-op customers can book Christmas delivery slots five days in advance, with these being fulfilled up to and including Christmas Eve.

Iceland shoppers can book their delivery slots six days in advance, with deliveries also set to be carried out up to December 24.

And if you are leaving things as late as you possibly can, delivery app Deliveroo has partnerships with Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Waitrose, Aldi and the Co-op, meaning you’ll still be able to order a small selection of goods in Sheffield.