Supermarket giant Sainsbury’s has launched its first grocery click-and-collect service – and will roll out the scheme at 100 stores across the UK by the end of the year.

Sainsbury's

Customers ordering their shopping online from Sainsbury’s will now have the option to collect their groceries in store, if they live in a catchment area where the service is available.

Shoppers can choose a participating store and a collection time to pick up their groceries from a refrigerated van parked in a designated area in the store’s car park.

Sainsbury’s is years behind its big four rivals Tesco and Asda, who already have similar services operating at stores nationwide.

The service went live at the grocer’s Water Lane store in Farnham, Surrey, today and nearly 20 more stores will have their click-and-collect services go live over the next two weeks.

Stores in Leicestershire, Yorkshire, Hertfordshire, Berkshire, Essex and Kent are also set to benefit from the service before March 12.

Customers who spend a minimum of £20 online can collect their shopping between 8am and 1pm or 2pm and 8pm from Monday to Saturday. The service will also be available during store opening times on Sundays.

Sainsbury’s online director Robbie Feather said: “This is yet another step for Sainsbury’s increasingly popular online service, and a demonstration of our commitment to giving our customers more convenient ways to shop with us, wherever and whenever they want.”

Feather added that Sainsbury’s will be seeking feedback from customers as it rolls out the service nationwide.