SuperValu launches drive through service

It’s a service normally associated with fast-food joints. But now an Irish retailer has opened what it claims is Cork’s first drive-through supermarket.

Customers of Barry Collins SuperValu in Carrigaline, Co Cork, who order their groceries online have the option of collecting the shopping from the store without ever having to leave the comfort of their car.

The store owner, David Collins, said customer feedback on the latest innovation to their ‘click-and-collect’ service has been hugely positive.

“Our customers can sometimes find it difficult to make the time to come in-store for their weekly shop but the drive-through facility offers them a quick and easy alternative,” Mr Collins said.

“The customer response has been fantastic and we are looking forward to welcoming many more customers to the service over the coming months.”

SuperValu managing director Martin Kelleher said it was just the latest in a series of innovations from the retailer.

“This convenient service will save them time and effort when it comes to doing the necessary weekly shop,” he said.

“This is the first of its kind in Ireland and we hope to roll it out to a number of stores by the end of the year.”

SuperValu introduced its online shopping and interactive grocery app in 2011, with a store collection and home delivery service.

It introduced ‘self-scanning’ hand-held devices in Quish’s SuperValu in Ballincollig, Co Cork last May. This service, which allows customers to scan products as they shop, has been rolled out to 17 stores nationwide, and has been used by 30,000 unique customers in the last year.

Now, customers of the Carrigaline outlet have a drive-through grocery collection option as well.

Customers shop online as normal and reserve a collection time. They then arrive at the store’s dedicated drive-through bay during the dedicated time slot, and use an intercom to identify themselves.

A staff member is then dispatched to bring the groceries out and place them in the car.

The click and collect service costs €3 or is free when a customer spends €75 online.

It has proven very popular with some older customers; people with restricted mobility; and busy parents.

The service was officially launched yesterday — a week after the retail brand renamed all 24 Superquinn stores as SuperValu. The chain is also implementing a €20m in-store investment programme on the former Superquinn network.

SuperValu’s network has now been expanded to some 223 stores nationwide with a turnover of €2.6bn, employing 14,500 employees.

Tesco operates a similar ‘click-and-collect’ scheme at Clarehall Shopping centre and Maynooth.