The food and drink market in the United Kingdom saw its e-commerce user penetration rate significantly increase after December 2019, as the COVID-19 pandemic led more consumers to purchase online. That month, the share of the UK population buying food and drinks online was approximately ** percent. By December 2020, that figure had increased percentage points. As of June 2025, around****percent of the UK population purchased food and drinks online.Â
Online food delivery market in the UK
With an estimated ** billion U.S. dollars in revenues, the United Kingdom ranked third among the leading online food delivery markets worldwide in 2024. China held the top spot, with a market size of nearly *** billion dollars, followed by the United States with an estimated *** billion U.S. dollars. In terms of retailers, Tesco was the uncontested market leader, generating more than * billion U.S. dollars in e-commerce net sales in the UK in 2023.Â
Fresh commerce
Order fulfillment for fresh food and beverages may be the most challenging aspect of online food delivery for both retailers and consumers alike. It is of utmost importance for fresh fruits and vegetables to arrive at customers' doorstep without being damaged or without going bad on the way. In 2022, approximately ** percent of UK consumers reported purchasing fresh food and beverages online, making the United Kingdom the only European market with such a high user adoption of fresh e-commerce. Additionally, around ** percent of UK shoppers reported ordering fresh food online at least once a week, indicating that this practice is not only widely adopted in the country, but it is also done on a very frequent basis.
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YouGov. (July 22, 2025). Share of population buying food and drink online in the United Kingdom from July 2019 to June 2025 [Graph]. In ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ. Retrieved July 15, 2026, from /statistics/1401366/uk-food-drink-e-commerce-penetration/
YouGov. "Share of population buying food and drink online in the United Kingdom from July 2019 to June 2025." Chart. July 22, 2025. ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ. Accessed July 15, 2026. /statistics/1401366/uk-food-drink-e-commerce-penetration/
YouGov. (2025). Share of population buying food and drink online in the United Kingdom from July 2019 to June 2025. ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ. ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ Inc.. Accessed: July 15, 2026. /statistics/1401366/uk-food-drink-e-commerce-penetration/
YouGov. "Share of Population Buying Food and Drink Online in The United Kingdom from July 2019 to June 2025." ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ, ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ Inc., 22 Jul 2025, /statistics/1401366/uk-food-drink-e-commerce-penetration/
YouGov, Share of population buying food and drink online in the United Kingdom from July 2019 to June 2025 ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ, /statistics/1401366/uk-food-drink-e-commerce-penetration/ (last visited July 15, 2026)
Share of population buying food and drink online in the United Kingdom from July 2019 to June 2025 [Graph], YouGov, July 22, 2025. [Online]. Available: /statistics/1401366/uk-food-drink-e-commerce-penetration/