When can you book your supermarket Christmas delivery slot?

Get ahead with your planning and book your supermarket Christmas delivery slot

Christmas food
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Asda, Sainsbury’s, Ocado and Waitrose are all allowing some customers to book their Christmas delivery slots - here are the all important dates.

While the big day is still  over two months away - here’s what you need to know about when the big supermarkets are releasing those all important dates for your diary when it comes to securing a much coveted Christmas delivery slot.

But don’t wait till the last minute to stock up with the big Christmas shop – as some items may sell out.  Over the next few weeks it may be worth stockpiling some Christmas goodies in your trolley – especially as with supermarket prices rising – you may be able to save buying Christmas food in advance. 

Here’s the run down of when you can book your Christmas delivery slots with your preferred supermarket.

Christmas Delivery slots

Ocado Christmas delivery slots

Smart Pass customers who signed up to Ocado on or before 25 September have had priority access to Christmas booking slots since 30 September.  

Giving them advance booking on slots from 20 – 24 December.

All other customers will need to log in to the system and Ocado say, “once you’re able to book a slot, you’ll also see a star next to ‘Book a Delivery”.

Sainsburys Christmas delivery slots

With Sainsbury’s - Delivery Pass customers have been able to go online since  17 October to book a Christmas slot between 18 – 21 December.  

However if you want a slot on Christmas Eve – you’ll need to wait until 20 October to be able to book this.

If you don’t have a delivery pass - you can go online from 24th October to book a Christmas delivery slot.  However Sainsbury’s is staggering the release of its Christmas week slots – so booking on 24th October means you can book a Christmas delivery slot between 18 - 21st December.

When it comes to the later slots – here’s those all important booking dates: 

  • Slots between 18 – 22 December are being released on 25 October.
  • Slots between 18 – 23 December are being released on 26 October.
  • Slots between 18 – 24 December are being released on 27 October. 

If you prefer a Click & Collect slot – booking for Christmas opens on 27 November for pick up between 18 – 24 December.

Asda Christmas delivery slots

At Asda Christmas booking for home delivery and collection slots opened on 18 October - for its delivery pass customers only.   

If you’re considering snapping up a delivery pass to try and take advantage of early booking – these cost from £3.50 for midweek delivery.  However as Christmas Eve falls on a Saturday this year – you’ll need to buy the more expensive £6.50 monthly version if you’re hoping to book a slot on Friday 23 or Saturday 24 December.

If you don’t have a delivery pass you can book a Christmas slot from  25 October.

Morrisons Christmas delivery slots

Morrisons has already released its Christmas booking slots up to and including 24 December for delivery pass customers.

If you don’t have a delivery pass you can book Christmas slots from Wednesday 26 October.

Waitrose Christmas delivery slots

Waitrose say all its customers can now access its home delivery and collection slots which run from 20 December – 24 December and all cost £3

Tesco Christmas delivery slots

With Tesco - if you’ve got a Delivery Saver pass you get early access to the Christmas delivery slots.  Booking opens at 6am on 15th November.

Everyone else has to wait another week to secure their Christmas delivery slot when you can book a delivery slot from 6am on 22nd November.

If you don’t have a Delivery Saver pass – the cheapest version you can buy costs £2.49 a month for its monthly ‘Anytime Click & Collect’ pass which means you can get priority booking but only for a Click & Collect slot.  

However if you want to be in with a chance to be first in the Christmas booking queue – you’ll need to buy an ‘Anytime Delivery’ pass which costs £7.99 a month.

Worth knowing that Christmas Eve slots will only be available at selected stores.  And even if you’re going to chance this – remember if items are out of stock – you may be faced with substitutions at your door instead of your turkey or mince pies.

The Co-op Christmas delivery slots

With Co-op you can only book a home delivery up to five days in advance – and only at selected stores.  This applies all year round – so you’ll need to wait much closer to Christmas before trying to book a slot.    Home delivery will be up to and including Christmas Eve - subject to availability.    

If you spend £25 or more – delivery is free if you live in the local area and £3 for orders under £25.   

If you want a home delivery but live outside the area – this is at the store manager’s discretion and comes with a £5 charge. 

Iceland Christmas delivery slots

Iceland say existing customers have now been invited to pre-book Christmas delivery slots online with delivery until 24 December.  Free delivery with online orders over £40.

Further Christmas home delivery slots will be available to book 6 days in advance – this is something Iceland say it does every year.

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Sue Hayward
contributor

Sue Hayward is a personal finance and consumer journalist, broadcaster and author who regularly chats on TV and Radio on ways to get more power for your pound.  Sue’s written for a wide range of publications including the Guardian, i Paper, Good Housekeeping, Lovemoney and My Weekly. Cats, cheese and travel are Sue’s passions away from her desk!