The lure of on-demand groceries

Published: June 23, 2021, 11 p.m.

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Do you need a lemon right now but don\\u2019t want to leave the house? Just download an app and you\\u2019ll have it in 13 minutes. That\\u2019s the kind of service you can expect from a swathe of new \\u2018rapid delivery\\u2019 grocery apps. Dozens have appeared around the world since the start of the pandemic, and investors have been flocking to invest, pumping billions into the sector. So are these apps the obvious next step in our on-demand lifestyles, or should they be a cause for concern? When it comes to food, can things become just a bit too convenient?

Tamasin Ford hears from one company boss with big ambitions and a former competition lawyer who\\u2019s worried these apps could spell the end for smaller food stores. Plus, we travel to Istanbul in Turkey where people have already been using them for years.

(Picture: Man sat on sofa groceries being handed to him. Credit: Getty/BBC)

If you would like to get in touch with the show please email thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk

Contributors:

Alec Dent: Co-Founder, Weezy\\nKaya Gen\\xe7: Novelist\\nMichelle Meagher: Founder, Balanced Economy Project

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