The Co-operative is to end years of deliberation by finally launching trials of online grocery retailing.

The Co-operative is to end years of deliberation by finally launching trials of online grocery retailing. The initiative will be welcomed by those who believe the growth in sales through digital channels makes it impossible for a national grocer to survive without a presence online.

The early signs from the Co-op are that it will seek to somehow merge its strengths in convenience with this new online push. However, with an average basket size of only £6, this positioning may test the online food model to its limit in terms of profitability. And the grocer will have to look hard at how it can offer a significant point of difference in terms of product and service to deliver the kinds of volumes it will need.