Uber trials grocery deliveries

No longer just a ride from A to B; taxi and private hire car service Uber has launched a same-day grocery delivery feature in the US as an additional option via the main smartphone app.

The Corner Store feature, which is currently limited to Washington DC as a trial, will allow users to order from more than 100 items that are competitively priced against local high street stores.

Founded in 2009, Uber is a San Francisco-based company that connects passengers with drivers of vehicles for hire via a mobile app. In June 2014, the company was valued as a whole at approximately $18 billion (£10.8 billion).

The new service will allow consumers to order from a range of non-perishable items between 9am and 9pm with no minimum order requirements and no delivery fee.

Amazon and Google already offer home delivery services in limited parts of the US – Amazon Fresh and Shopping Express – while in the UK, Waitrose and Asda provide online grocery collection points for commuters returning home.

While the new feature is only on trial for a few weeks, Uber has said that it will be extended if the demand is there.