Deliveroo Shopping for nonfood items launched in Singapore

Shoppers may now access beauty and pet care, and consumer electronics on the delivery app.

London-based online food and grocery delivery company Deliveroo has brought Deliveroo Shopping, its online retail arm that expands delivery options to include nonfood items, to Singapore.

The company expects the service to become a big hit among Singaporeans, who demand not just convenience but also fast delivery in their online shopping experience. 

Jason Parke, Deliveroo Singapore general manager, said Deliveroo Shopping was born after they found that pet food, beauty and healthcare products, and flowers were the most searched items on their online platform. 

“We also looked at our latest consumer survey data, where a lot were saying they prefer getting nonfood items and supplies from delivery platforms,” he told Retail Asia. 

Singapore’s e-commerce market is projected to hit $18.1b this year and grow 8.8% annually to $25.3b by 2028, according to Business Wire. 

Parke said Singaporeans want a quick delivery service when shopping online. Deliveroo Shopping seeks to fill this gap by expanding its delivery service beyond food. 

The Deliveroo app now gives users access to beauty and personal care, baby care, consumer electronics, health and pharmacy, flowers, and pet care items. 

“Let us say you are having a date night at home and you want to order food,” he said. “Why not also get some flowers, right? These are the types of experiences that the platform can enhance by adding the retail [aspect].” 

Still, restaurant food delivery would remain Deliveroo’s core. “If anything, this is a creative business. We are building this up with additional teams and resources,” Parke said. 

He said the company is working with more partner brands so their products can be delivered through the Deliveroo platform. 

“We also actively work with our partners by using the data Deliveroo has, to certify that our retailers know what consumers are looking for,” he added. 

Parke said the company is leveraging loyalty programmes to give customers the full retail experience. “Our loyalty programme — Plus programme — means that for a flat monthly fee, you get free delivery on food, grocery and retail delivery. No exceptions and no hidden charges.” 

Deliveroo will continue expanding in the retail space. “We are continuing to onboard lots of new partners but we have a set of categories that Deliveroo is focused on right now,” Parke said.