Convenience chain the Co-op is ramping up store wars with the launch of an online grocery website today.
And in a bid to be greener, the chain is the first to deliver all its orders by bike.
A fleet of electric bikes similar to those used by old fashioned push-bike ice cream sellers will be trundling through central London.
With a large freezer box on the front and a storage compartment on the back, the sky blue, liveried e-Cargo bikes will give the Co-op an online presence for the first time in the capital.
Shoppers can expect their food, drink and household products within two hours of ordering but will have to stump up a £5 delivery charge on a minimum £15 order.
Online shoppers can also use the free click and collect service.
Chris Conway, head of food digital at the Co-op, said: “This is an exciting time for the Co-op, with trials underway on a number of new, online initiatives.
“As the leaders in convenience shopping we want to look at different ways of bringing our award-winning products closer to shoppers, and this new service does exactly that.”
If successful the West London trial will be rolled out to other towns and cities with plans for it to go nationwide.
The Co-op is also trialling robot deliveries in Milton Keynes and has tested out a new app that allows shoppers to scan groceries on their phones and skip the checkout queue.
And Marks & Spencer has signed a £750 million deal with online grocery service Ocado to deliver its products from next year.
