INDUSTRY FOCUS
Tesco launches drone delivery trial in Ireland
Tesco has launched its trial of drone home deliveries with shoppers in County Galway, Ireland, the first to test the service, according to the Irish Times.
Tesco’s Group Innovation team are offering on-demand small basket deliveries from its Oranmore shop.
Tesco has teamed up with drone delivery company Manna for the trial, which will run over several months.
Customers can order deliveries through the FlipDish app, with up to 700 products available.
After receiving the order, a Tesco employee in-store packs the shopping, which is then transferred to a Manna drone supervisor for delivery.
“We’re really excited about this partnership and delighted that our store in Oranmore is involved in this trial,” Tesco Oranmore shop manager Catherine Swift told the Irish Times.
“We’re continually looking for new ways to serve our customers a little better and this trial is an opportunity to look at meeting demand for small basket shops and quick delivery. We’re looking forward to seeing how our customers in the Oranmore area respond to the service.”
Orders run 9.30am-5pm from Tuesday to Sunday, and can be tracked in real-time, with customers able to receive deliveries within 30 minutes to one hour of ordering.
“It is incredible to work with an innovative partner like Tesco on this trial and to be able to provide this delivery service to the community of Oranmore,” Manna operations director Denis Houston said to the Irish Times.
“It’s fantastic to see how innovation and new technologies like this helps all the community, both customers and local retailers.”
The trial comes as Tesco looks to step up new innovations and developments around emerging technologies with its Tesco Red Door project.
In September the supermarket giant said it was looking to work with innovators to help Tesco in areas “beyond day-to-day operations”, with what it describes as “a focus on ideas that can create true competitive advantage for Tesco and improve the way it serves shoppers”.
