Deliveroo’s Most Delivered Item in UK Is a 2kg Bag of Ice Cubes
A 2kg bag of Iceland ice cubes topped Deliveroo's annual list of UK orders as Britain endured its hottest summer on record. The bag costs £1 in store, but one order came to £8.08 once fees were added, according to the report.
A 2kg packet of ice cubes was Deliveroo's most delivered item in the UK this year, according to the takeaway company's annual "Deliveroo 100" report. It is the first time a grocery product has topped the list.
Drivers delivered more bags of Iceland's premium 2kg ice cubes than any other product. Britain was enduring its hottest summer on record, with five multi-day heatwaves.
A £1 bag, an £8.08 order
The packs can be bought in the Iceland store for as little as £1. They can be made at home even more cheaply with a freezer.
On Deliveroo, the base price rises to £1.20 before surcharges. A £3 small-order fee and a £0.60 bag charge come next.
The company then adds a £0.99 service fee and a £2.29 delivery fee, which depends on distance. Together, that takes the total for the ice cubes to £8.08.
What Deliveroo said
Jeff Wemyss, Deliveroo's vice-president and general manager for the UK and Ireland, said sorbet, mango slices and milkshakes followed "close behind" the ice cubes.
"The UK's hottest summer on record had us reaching for the ice and Brits did not mess about," he said.
He added that the list, which turns 10 in the UK this year, shows how far the company has come "from a restaurant-led platform to restaurants, grocery and retail in one place."
The rest of the list
The diavola pizza from the Monte Forte pizzeria in Horsham, West Sussex, ranked second. The chilli broccoli salad from Dishoom in Manchester came third.
The top 30 also includes 40 Denier Tights from Accessorize in London and an eyelash curler from Boots. Wemyss pointed to items ranging from a post-gym beef bowl to hay fever tablets and tights before a night out.
Takeaways as a social marker
Separate research for the Great British Class Survey found that food deliveries have become a key social signifier. Polling firm Public First carried out the fieldwork.
The wealthiest and most culturally engaged 7 per cent of the population, described as the "elite", orders an average of seven takeaways a month. The 20 per cent with the lowest economic and cultural scores orders only one or two.
Within the elite group, 24 per cent say they order takeaways "a few times a week". Another 9 per cent say they do so "every day" or "almost every day".
Deliveroo drivers have also described delivering single items such as a coffee or a smoothie from places like Gail's Bakery. Those orders often go to people working from home on Mondays and Fridays.
