Shop for groceries wherever and whenever you want, forget about carrying heavy shopping bags and save time: more and more customers are ordering their groceries on the Internet and have their purchases conveniently delivered to their home. According to a recent BVDW survey, around one in three people in Germany has already done his or her food shopping online and would do so again. To ensure that perishable goods always reach the customer on time and fresh, online food retailers work closely with shipping partners who offer a special service for food parcels – DPD, for example. With our "DPD Food" service we offer a tailor-made combination of express shipping and a delivery forecast which is accurate down to the last 60 minutes. Our service is already being used by the cookbox supplier HelloFresh and the online retailers myTime and Gourmando.

DPD Food: always on time and fresh, in three different variants

DPD offers three variants to ensure that fresh food arrives quickly, conveniently and reliably: unrefrigerated, storable foodstuffs (e.g. spices or potatoes) are delivered with "DPD Food" within 1-2 working days. Fresh, perishable foods (e.g. meat, fish or ice cream) arrive the very next day with "DPD Food Express" and passive cooling. With the "DPD Food 12.00" option, there is an express service with guaranteed delivery by 12 noon on the next working day. Because of the guaranteed express delivery time of the food parcels, passive cooling of the fresh food is absolutely sufficient. Even perishable food can be kept fresh for several days with cooling pads. The DPD Predict Service notifies the recipient via SMS and/or email the day before delivery that the parcel is on its way. On the morning of delivery the delivery forecast is specified to one hour, and during the delivery process it is even shortened to 30 minutes.

Food returns for a good cause: non-deliverable parcels go to the foodbank

If, despite proactive notifications and delivery options, the food parcel can't be delivered within the required timeframe - e.g. if the consignee has had to unexpectedly leave home - DPD offers its customers a special return option. However, as return transport to the consignor of perishable goods is rarely advisable, DPD cooperates with the federal foodbank association. The food is then distributed free of charge or against a token contribution to socially and economically disadvantaged people.